Aceh Timur, Ekuatorial – To anticipate increasing conflict between humans and elephants, East Aceh government established an elephant respond unit located in Bunin village, Serbajadi subdistrict, East Aceh, said an official, in East Aceh, on Monday (4/5).
“Conflicts between elephants and humans in East Aceh have been going for too long and there’s still no serious solution. It happens every month but often dealt poorly. That is why we need to set up CRU [Conservation Response Unit] for elephant in East Aceh, said Iskandar, head of East Aceh Forestry and Plantation Agency.
Iskandar said that CRU was established during a meeting with local NGOs to handle recent man-elephant conflict.
“At the meeting, we have committed and planned to handle these conflicts by establishing CRU for elephant for the next two years,” he said. “We have also agreed to declare East Aceh Forestry and Plantation agency as Leading Sector to deal with these conflicts.”
The district head or bupati, he said, had issued a letter designating 5,500 hectares for elephant conservation. In addition, he said that the government had allocated Rp 228.8 million (US$ 17,579) to built 100 hectares of cage and Rp 846 million (US$ 65,000) for operational.
Suhelmi, an activist of East Aceh Cakradonya, said that establishing CRU elephant location would be able to solve recent conflicts. He added CRU would also be able to help sick and dead elephants poisoned or trapped by villagers.
“Government should not give plants that attract elephants, such as palm oil and crops. There should be other alternatives less liked by elephants but suitable for local environment,” he said adding that CRU should be managed by local government to ensure its sustainability.
Meanwhile, Badrul Irfan, green activist of HaKA foundation blasted illegal logging and land clearing had triggered elephants to ransack villages.
“Forest clearing leads to the loss of elephant’s home range in East Aceh which disturbs their lives,” he said. Ivo Lestari
