Drone Shows 40 Elephants Eating Crops After Allegedly Flattening Over 3,000 Banana Trees
The human-elephant conflict in Kahang has persisted for years.
Cover image via Jee King Eng (Facebook)Drone footage has captured a herd of elephants feasting in oil palm and banana plantations after allegedly flattening the area in Kahang, Johor
The footage, shared on Facebook by Jee King Eng on Monday, 24 March, shows the elephants and their calves overturning what appear to be trunks and leaf stalks, seemingly in search of food.
Speaking to China Press, Jee recounted that the elephants entered his banana plantation on 23 and 24 March, destroying over 3,000 plants.
He said the financial loss is incalculable and expressed concern that the elephants may return to his farm.
Image via Jee King Eng (Facebook)
Jee declined to share further details, only mentioning that the human-elephant conflict in Kahang has troubled residents for years
He said the matter remains unresolved despite being raised with the relevant authorities.
Another farmer told China Press that elephants were attracted to oil palm trees during replanting, likening the scene to a "buffet".
He explained that recent rains had flooded many roads and plantations, causing the elephants to roam between plantations.
While fences with electric currents are commonly installed to deter the animals, regular maintenance is essential to ensure their effectiveness.
Below are videos of the drone footage:
The human-elephant conflict in Kahang has been a longstanding issue that has attracted media attention over the years
A report co-produced by the Pulitzer Center's Rainforest Investigations Network and Malaysiakini highlighted various conflicts in the area, including a road accident that killed a calf, allegations of residents poisoning several elephants, and farmers abandoning their fields due to fears of elephant encounters.
Over the years, the National Parks Department (PERHILITAN) has introduced multiple measures to address these issues, such as relocating elephants to different forests and drafting a human-elephant coexistence plan, which aims to reconnect fragmented forests and elephant habitats across Peninsular Malaysia using ecological corridors.
