THE Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) has taken measures to help the conservation of elephants as they start to lose their habitat because of development and come into conflict with humans.

These include attempting to fence off areas to deter elephants from entering and foraging for food, while also warning villagers of approaching herds.

However, the human-elephant conflict, as experienced recently by the Temiar Orang Asli in Gua Musang, Kelantan, comes as no surprise as the pace of economic development outstrips the availability of jungle land.

Between 2013 and 2017, the department received 2,000 complaints about elephant encroachment.

They rate as the third most problematic species in human-wildlife conflict after monkeys (20,200 complaints) and wild boars (4,000).

Limited habitat in forested areas has forced animals in Kelantan to search for food on agricultural land and in village settlements, Perhilitan said.

“The problems with elephants, wild boars and monkeys are in line with rapid economic growth.

“Some elephant habitats have also disappeared due to development, such as settlements and agricultural use,” Perhilitan said in a statement to The Malaysian Insight.

It was asked to respond to The Malaysian Insight’s report two days ago on how land clearing in Pos Simpor, Gua Musang, drove wild elephants into Orang Asli villages, destroying their food crops and water supply infrastructure.

Perhilitan said it has been dealing with human-elephant conflict by establishing an elephant conservation national plan in 2013 for a more holistic approach.

From 2013 to 2017, 161 elephants were successfully captured and transferred to sanctuaries in Sg Ketiar and Taman Negara in Terengganu, reserves in Belum and Lenggor, Perak, and Panti and Endah Rompin in Johor, at a cost a total of RM9 million.

To create awareness, they have organised the MyElefriend programme and installed fences in communities close to jungles.

“Issues discussed are awareness and understanding elephant-human conflicts.

“This includes dialogue sessions and shared discussions for people to learn about loving wildlife and gardening methods, especially in zones that border forested areas.”

In Pos Simpor, the Orang Asli told The Malaysian Insight that they have tried to keep elephant herds away by beating drums and lighting fires at night.

However, elephants have wandered into villages there at least three times so far, causing damage to fruit and vegetable crops, which in turn have caused food shortages for the villagers.

Perhilitan has also constructed 283km of electric fences across five states in Pahang, Johor, Perak, Kelantan and Terengganu, at a total cost of RM13.7 million.

There is also an early warning system and ongoing research on the movement of wild elephants by using satellite collars, involving 21 elephants. – November 10, 2019.