KUALA KRAI: Some 200 farmers in Kampung Sungai Rek are in distress as wild elephants have been destroying and consuming their crops since last week.
Rosdi Mohamad, 64, said he suffered losses of nearly RM40,000 after his 5.6ha oil palm plantation was damaged by herds of wild elephants.
He said in an incident on Monday, he could only watch helplessly as 850 newly planted saplings, which were planted at the end of January, were destroyed by these mammals.
"I have installed fences and barbed wire around the area, but to no avail. During daytime, these wild elephants hide in the nearby forest and only enter the plantation area at night, damaging the crops cultivated by the residents here," he said when met yesterday.
Rosdi said that the presence of the wild elephants not only troubled him, who is experiencing this situation for the first time, but was also felt by other farmers who suffered losses.
"Moreover, most residents also dare not go to their farms or plantations for fear of their safety should they encounter these wild elephants, especially since footprints found all over the area.
"The residents here rely on earning a living as farmers and tappers, and their source of income is disrupted because they are afraid to go to farms or plantations," he said.
Fauzi Abdullah, 52, also faced a similar fate when he suffered losses of approximately RM15,000 after 250 of his oil palm trees were destroyed by wild elephants.
"Previously, I cultivated rubber trees. However, in July last year, I switched to oil palm cultivation and invested RM10,000 to purchase seedlings, along with the levelling work.
"However, the presence of wild elephants last week in the plantation area destroyed all the oil palm trees planted on a 1.6ha land.
"Right now, I am worried about replanting because it requires a significant amount of allocation, besides the risk that the planted trees may be damaged by elephants again in the future.
"Therefore, I hope that the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) can immediately drive away these wild elephants from continuing to damage residents' crops," he said.
Meanwhile, Manshor Mahmood, 70, also expressed disappointment after suffering losses of RM35,000 when 350 of his oil palm trees were destroyed, with only one more year left before harvest.
"It takes up to two years for the yield. However, in the blink of an eye, everything was destroyed by the wild elephants.
"I hope that authorities will take appropriate steps to prevent such incidents from happening again."