Wild elephants kill two in Indonesia's Aceh province

Wild elephants kill two in Indonesia's Aceh province Jakarta - A couple of wild elephants went on a rampage in Indonesia's north-western province of Aceh, killing two people and injuring three others after destroying a hut, police and media reports said Wednesday.

The animals entered Kupula village in Sumatra's northern Aceh district of Pidie Tuesday morning, and trampled a hut where seven women chili farmers were eating breakfast.

Pidie district police chief Mufan Mujikawati said the women fled the hut but two of them were later trampled to death by the angry elephants.

The other five women survived, one of whom was injured, he said.

A survivor, identified as Syasidar said she believed the elephants would not hurt them.

"The elephants did not actually intend to pursue us. After destroying the hut the two animals went out. Idawati and my sister Nuraini were trampled when the elephants were leaving after destroying the hut," she was quoted as saying by the Aceh-based Serambi daily newspaper.

Mujikawati said he called on the Natural Resources Conservation Agency to drive the wild animals to their natural forest habitat.

The rampage was the first to occur in Pidie district. In November, a herd of wild elephants stormed villages in Aceh Jaya district, killing one man and destroying property.

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 food.

Habitat destruction and illegal poaching have slashed the population of 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)

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