A herd of four wild elephants has destroyed over 2,000 banana plants in Kampung Batu 8 here over the past three weeks,causing huge losses for more than 30 farmers.
The farmers’ attempt to frighten away the animals by exploding firecrackers and setting bonfires proved futile. Over the past week, Wildlife Protection and National Parks Department personnel failed to trace the elephants which often came to the banana plantation only at night.
Farmer Yaakob Saad, 60, said his crop of 250 plants were destroyed.
“I resorted to various measures to scare them away but in vain.
They destroyed the plants far away from the hut where we kept watch,” he said.
Another farmer, Roslan Saad, 38, said the dogs which the farmers used to frighten away the elephants were chased by the pachyderms.
Osman Abd Razak, 52, said he feared that their plantations would be wiped out by the elephants unless something was done by the Wildlife Protection and National Parks Department.
It is believed that the elephants are from the Lasau forest which has been opened up for logging.
– Bernama
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