Wild elephants destroy crops in Mondulkiri

A herd of 15 wild elephants living in the forest in Mondulkiri province's Sen Monorom district are eating crops and destroying property, according to villagers, who have called on the authorities and wildlife NGOs to help drive the herd away.

According to local authorities, the elephants have destroyed cassava crops and hundreds of banana, cashew, jackfruit and mango trees in his commune over the course of a few days, mostly near Andoung Kralueng village.

“They came and destroyed our crops in the night time, and in the early morning they move to the jungle,” Monorom Commune Police Chief Srev Thet said, adding that the elephants had destroyed a dozen fruit trees on his own farm, as well as a cottage and a mechanical water pump.

Khang Soeung, a biodiversity officer at the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary, said he was unable to confirm the number of elephants in the herd but said he and his team are working with Wildlife Conservation Society officers to deploy motion-activated cameras in the villagers' farms close to where the elephants are staying.

The elephants moved into the area on Friday and raided the village for food several nights in a row, according to Soeung. They also came into the village Monday night but left without destroying any crops or attacking any homes, he added.

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