(MY) wild elephants going bananas

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KUALA NERANG New Straits Times

Wild elephants goes bananas in plantation

By Sharanjit Singh sharan

 

A herd of wild elephants damaged a wooden house and also

destroyed banana and chempedak trees planted by villagers near

here last night.

 

The incident happened at Kampung Seri Intan about midnight and

wildlife officers have started an operation to locate and scare the

elephants into deeper jungle.

 

Wildlife officer Mohd Zamani Ariffin said the department had received

reports that elephants had been spotted near several villages since

the last few days.

 

However, he said last night's incident was the first reported case of

damage caused by the animals.

 

He said wildlife officers were trying to track the elephants and scare

them away from villages and into deeper jungle to avoid further

incidents.

 

Meanwhile, owner of the damaged house, Teh Mat, 60, said she saw

some elephants at the fringe of the jungle near their house yesterday

evening.

 

Teh said she and her husband decided to spend the night at

someone else's house after spotting the elephants.

 

" We were afraid the elephants may stray into the village later in the

night and our fears were later proven to be true, " she said, adding

she saw damage to her house and a nearby orchard after returning

home this morning.

 

Teh said she hoped the elephants would not return and cause further

damage to her home and property.