KLUANG: Elephants wreaking havoc on crops in some areas have resulted in an alarming annual loss of about RM1 million for farmers.
According to the Johor Wildlife and National Parks Department director (Perhilitan) Aminuddin Jamin, the agency receives an average of 100 complaints from affected farmers each year.
"Perhilitan Kluang district is actively investigating the Kahang area. Although ongoing, historical data suggests an estimated average annual loss of around RM1 million, with an average of 100 complaints reported throughout Johor," Aminuddin stated in a statement.
His comments come in response to a viral video circulating on social media, showing motorists stopping their vehicles along the roadside to get a closer look at a herd of elephants believed to be in the vicinity of Kahang.
Aminuddin urged the public to refrain from engaging with the herd as it could lead to unforeseen circumstances and dangerous elephant encounters.
"Johor Perhilitan discourages the public from exiting their vehicles. Should they need to stop their vehicles to allow elephants to cross, it is imperative to maintain a safe and cautious distance," he emphasised.
Aminuddin noted that, based on their observations and records, the group of elephants is believed to be part of the "southeast ID group" and is estimated to consist of 30 to 40 elephants.
He explained that these elephants likely ventured outside their natural habitat in search of food, particularly attracted by the availability of food from the chipped oil palm trunks resulting from replanting activities.
He added that once they find an adequate food source, the Southeast ID Elephant Group typically returns to their habitat.
Highlighting ongoing efforts to manage the situation, Aminuddin said the Perhilitan Kluang district has regularly monitored and taken control measures.
The elephants have been in the vicinity for about two weeks, drawn to the area due to logging and chipping of oil palm trunks.
Meanwhile, Professor Dr Mohd Fadhil Md Din, director of the Sustainability Office at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), stressed the importance of not approaching wild animals, as the risk of attacks is significantly higher.
Wild animals, he explained, could quickly become frightened or agitated, whether due to their instincts for self-defence or the protection of their territory.
"Stopping vehicles near wild animals is an imprudent action and poses safety concerns for the occupants," he cautioned.
To address the elephant threat, especially in residential and agricultural areas, Mohd Fadhil suggested the creation of a wild animal reserve.
He recommended establishing a protected "wildlife path" and designating an area around farms as a buffer zone, extending at least 200 meters from planting zones.
These biological control preparations within the protection zone could mitigate conflicts between elephants and local communities.
Dr Mohd Fadhil highlighted various factors contributing to the presence of these elephants in non-native areas, including the depletion of their natural food sources, shrinking protected zones, disturbances in their original habitats, separation from their original groups, and encroachment into buffer zones or natural habitats without proper planning.