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GUA MUSANG: More than 300 residents of Orang Asli in Kampung Aring 5 here live in fear as a herd of five wild elephants have been roaming their village since last week.
The elephants had destroyed hundreds of rubber trees in a plantation near the town. The Orang Asli depend on the plantation for their livelihood.
One of them, Zul Hek, 43, said there were three such incidents this month alone.
“The herd of wild elephants roamed near the village between 1 am and 5 am. We have to be alert at night for fear that our houses will be attacked by these wild animals.
“However, so far no houses have been destroyed, only our crops like bananas and rubber trees were trampled, felled and the fruits eaten by elephants,” he said when he met today in Kampung Aring 5.
Another villager, Rahmat Yahya, 32, said that if the elephant threat was not resolved quickly, the villagers would suffer huge losses as many rubber trees would be destroyed.
“The rubber trees are part of a plantation project by the Orang Asli Development Department to provide a source of income for the Orang Asli community.
“Most of the villagers were surprised when they went to the plantation at 8 in the morning and found rubber trees cut down and banana plants destroyed by elephants.
“We are concerned that wild elephants are still in the nearby forest and go out at night to look for food,” he said.
