The human-wildlife conflicts have repeatedly occurred in several areas around Aceh over these past ten years
Banda Aceh, Aceh (ANTARA) – A team of the Syiah Kuala University’s (USK’s) experts has joined a collective effort to seek solutions to human-wildlife conflicts that repeatedly occur in Aceh Province’s several areas.
The university’s experts are currently drafting the Aceh governor’s regulation on criteria and determination of extraordinary events, caused by human-wildlife conflicts, according to USK’s statement.
“The human-wildlife conflicts have repeatedly occurred in several areas around Aceh over these past ten years,” Head of the USK’s Product-Based Community Service Unit Kurniawan said.
The last three years of recurrent events have encouraged the USK’s experts to join efforts to seek solutions to those human-wildlife conflicts, he said in a statement that ANTARA quoted here Sunday.
The experts who belong to the USK’s Product-Based Community Service Unit get involved in drafting the Aceh Governor’s regulation by referring to the mandate of Article 18 (5) of the Aceh Law (Qanun) No.11/2019, he said.
According to the Qanun on managing wildlife, the Aceh administration could determine the human-wildlife conflicts as extraordinary events in accordance with its authorities, Kurniawan added.
To this end, the USK’s experts had discussed this matter with those from wildlife conservation societies, and observed the cases of human-wildlife conflicts in Jantho and Nagan Raya Districts, he said.
The Aceh Governor’s regulation could later be used as a legal basis for providing residents suffering from the direct impacts of the human-wildlife conflicts with compensation, he said.
Over the past few years, the human-elephant conflicts have become a major conservation concern in Aceh.
In February 2019, at least 14 herds of wild Sumatran elephants had wandered in search of food in the areas of districts such as Tamiang, Pidie, Central Aceh, Bener Meriah, and Biruen.
According to the Head of the Lhokseumawe Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), Dedi Irvansyah, around four up to five herds were found wandering around the forest areas of East Aceh and Tamiang Districts.
In North Aceh District, there were three herds of these herbivorous animals, while in the districts of Central Aceh, Bener Meriah, and Bireun, about four herds of wild elephants were also observed, he stated.
Meanwhile, in Pidie Jaya and Pidie Districts, two herds were reportedly observed, he 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 the areas of North Aceh District`s Cot Girek, Matangkuli, and Langkahan Subdistricts.
In early 2021, a wild Sumatran elephant was reported to have sneaked into and destroyed the farmlands of several residents of Tuwi Meuleusong Village in Seunagan Timur Subdistrict, Nagan Raya District.
The aggressive elephant also destroyed a house of a transmigrant in Ketubung Tunong Village, Seunagan Timur Subdistrict, but this human-wildlife conflict did not cause casualties among villagers.
However, this trespassing large land mammal has terrified many residents in the two villages because it has caused them to suffer material losses owing to their damaged food crops.
Source: ANTARA News