The injured female elephant was found wandering alone near Alue Meuraksa village, Teunom sub-district, Aceh Jaya district, Aceh province, on Sunday, BKSDA-Aceh Office head Agus Arianto informed.
Local residents reported the one-year-old elephant, who still had a part of the snare trap attached to its trunk, to the agency's wildlife team on Saturday (November 13, 2021), he said.
The agency's personnel conducted the rescue effort along with their counterparts from several related parties, including veterinarians, he informed in a statement that ANTARA received here Monday.
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Given its serious injuries, the calf was evacuated to the Saree Peatland Development Project (PLG Saree) in Aceh Besar district for medical treatment, he said.
The BKSDA-Aceh Office thanked local communities for their contribution to the rescue effort, he said, adding that the calf could have suffered from the snare trap-caused injuries for a long time.
Human-wildlife conflicts and illegal wildlife trade still pose a threat to Indonesia's endeavors to save its endangered species from extinction, Arianto observed.
Over the past three years, human-elephant conflicts, for instance, have become a major conservation concern in Aceh and many other elephant range provinces on Sumatra Island, he said.
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In February 2019, at least 14 herds of wild Sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus) had wandered in search of food to areas in districts such as Tamiang, Pidie, Central Aceh, Bener Meriah, and Biruen, he added.
According to the BKSDA-Lhokseumawe Office, around four to five herds were found wandering around the forest areas of East Aceh and Tamiang districts.
In North Aceh district, three herds of these herbivorous animals were sighted, while in the districts of Central Aceh, Bener Meriah, and Bireun, about four herds of wild elephants were observed, it said.
Meanwhile, in Pidie Jaya and Pidie districts, two herds were reportedly observed, Arianto noted, adding that each of the herds consisted of 15 to 20 wild animals.
Three herds of wild Sumatran elephants were also found wandering in search of food in North Aceh district's Cot Girek, Matangkuli, and Langkahan sub-districts, he said.
One herd was also reported to have gone on a rampage in Negeri Antara village, Pintu Rimbee sub-district, Bener Meriah district, ravaging local farmers' agricultural lands and attacking a trained elephant named Ida, he added.
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As a result, the 40-year-old elephant's legs were wounded, he noted.
Then, in October 2019, there were reports of human-animal conflicts in the areas of Bener Meriah district, with a herd of wild Sumatran elephants destroying four houses in Pantanlah village, Pintu Rime Gayo sub-district, Arianto said.
The Indonesian government has listed Sumatran elephants among the critically-endangered mammals in the country.
The population of Sumatran elephants is estimated to be about 2,400–2,800 individuals, according to figures published on the official website of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
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Translator: M.Ifdhal, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
