http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2007/5/28/two-killed-in-wild-elephants-attack/
05/28/07 08:36 Two killed in wild elephants attack Bandar Lampung (ANTARA News) - Two villagers of Penangkulan in the Tanggamus district, Lampung, Sumatra, were killed after five to six wild elephants attacked their village on Friday. The bodies of the two victims namely Bainem (40) and her child Evy (3) were barely recognizable when they were found by villagers. Sumatran wild elephants, "Davit Cang" group as the villagers called them because one of them called Davit came from the South Bukit Barisan National Park has a crippled leg, are the most feared by the locals. Bainem, her husband Muzari, and their two children Evi and Beti were trying to escape when the elephants attacked their village but only Muzari and Beti managed to get away, ANTARA learned. The locals have been calling for the relocation of the wild animals deeper into the forest, to prevent them from reaching the villages. The acting chief of the South Bukit Barisan National Park, Lusman Pasaribu, confirmed the fatal elephant attack. He also confirmed that the whereabouts of the Davit Cang group were constantly being monitored through a tracking satellite-collar put on the body of one of the wild elephants. He said the victims could not save themselves because they were left by the other fleeing villagers when the elephants were about pass their village. He said "we can determine the area to be passed by the elephants by the trail they left behind. We also find out that the villagers had been called to flee earlier." He said he could not yet tell if the location of the victims trampled to death by the elephants was in the protected forest or still in their village. "Our personnel are still trying to drive away the animals and check whether the location is in the forest or not," he said. The elephants have since July last year claimed the lives of six Tanggamus villagers. No decision has been made as to the relocation of the wild elephants. At present there are 600 to 700 wild elephants in the South Bukit Barisan National Park.(*) Copyright © 2007 ANTARA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
