Jakarta - A herd of wild elephants went on a rampage in Riau province on the Indonesian island of Sumatra Wednesday, trampling an elderly man to death and destroying property, state-run media reported.

A herd of estimated 40 pachyderms entered Balai Makam village in Bengkalis district at dawn, forcing the residents to flee in panic.

The official Antara news agency quoted a local community leader as saying that one wild elephant trampled an
83-year-old man, identified as Jalinus, to death after the man fell off a sling on which his son was carrying him as they tried to flee.

"Watched by his son who could do nothing, Jalinus was captured by an angry elephant, thrown to the ground and wildly trampled into pieces," Retri, who like many Indonesians goes by only one name, said.

"After destroying some houses, the wild animals were chasing the villagers," Retri said. During the past weeks the animals frequently entered the area, located along a traditional wild elephant trail.

Conservationists said widespread destruction of elephant habitat through illegal logging and uncontrolled conversion of forests into oil palm and pulp plantations has created intense conflict between humans and elephants, which are forced to feed on the crops that replaced their natural foods.

Human-animal conflicts are a rising problem as human settlements encroach on natural habitats in Indonesia, an archipelago nation with some of the world's largest remaining tropical forests.

Habitat destruction, combined with illegal poaching have slashed the population Sumatra's wild elephants.

According to environmentalists, about 4,000 wild elephants roam Sumatra, the only island in Indonesia where they can still be found. They are listed as an endangered species and protected by law. (dpa)