Perak Perhilitan Conducts Overnight Patrols Over Elephant Intrusions

IPOH, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- The Perak Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) has taken follow-up action based on risk assessments following reports of wild elephants encroaching on farms in Bukit Bangkong, Chemor, since Sept 27.

Its director, Dr Pazil Abdul Patah, said the measures included monitoring, overnight patrols and providing safety advice to farm operators.

“Investigations by the department found that the group of elephants disturbing farms in Bukit Bangkong was estimated to comprise two to three animals, based on several elephant footprints and signs of the animals foraging for food.

“Perhilitan takes the complaints received seriously, and follow-up action is being taken based on risk assessments and the actual situation at the location,” he told Bernama.

Bernama reported yesterday that 12 farmers who are members of the Bukit Bangkong Agricultural Land Operators Association had appealed for immediate action by the authorities to address wild elephants damaging about 9.7 hectares of their agricultural land.

The mammals were detected in the area on three occasions - Sept 27, Oct 3 and Oct 11 - since the agricultural land was first cultivated in 2018.

Meanwhile, Pazil advised affected farmers to apply for assistance under the Property and Crop Loss Assistance Scheme (BKHT) to help ease the burden of property losses and crop damage.

He said they could submit information and supporting documents to Perhilitan, including proof of farm ownership, photographs of the damage, estimated losses and incident reports. Any payment or compensation would be subject to approval by the relevant committee.

He added that wild elephants moving into agricultural areas could be influenced by several factors, including natural movement routes, food availability, changes in land use and overlapping wildlife habitats and areas of human activity.

On translocation as a means of resolving the conflict, he said it was not an automatic course of action, but required a comprehensive technical assessment, including the level of threat to humans.

“Translocation does not necessarily resolve the root cause of the conflict if the factors driving elephants into farms remain,” he said.

-- BERNAMA