GUA MUSANG: Some 300 settlers at the Sungai Terah Land Rehabilitation Programme (RPT) under the South Kelantan Development Authority (Kesedar) are afraid to go to work after three wild elephants went on a rampage and destroyed their farms last Thursday.
One of the farmers, Mohamed Noor Awang Hamat, 70, said since the attack he found elephant footprints of different sizes on his orchard with his crops destroyed.
“Yesterday, when I arrived at my orchard, I discovered that about 200 banana and tapioca plants were destroyed.
“In one night I suffered RM5,000 in losses,” he said when met at his orchard today.
Another farmer, Wan Abdul Talib Wan Jusoh, 69, farmers are worried because they would suffer huge losses if the elephants continue to encroach into their fruit orchards.
“We are sad to see our crops which are also our source of income all destroyed when wild elephants trespass into our farms and do damage,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, Mohamad Hanifa Mohd Zain, 31, said the farmers have lodged reports with the Department of Wildlife Protection and National Parks (PERHILITAN) about the attacks.
“Perhilitan personnel came but they failed to track the elephants.
“We hope they will track the wild elephants because we are afraid to go to the orchards or come in contact with the beasts,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kelantan Perhilitan director, Mohamad Hafid Rohani confirmed that they had received a report from the residents.
“Our staff in Gua Musang had gone to the location to observe the situation and plan the next course of action,” he added. - Bernama