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