ACEH SAW 99 HUMAN-ANIMAL CONFLICTS IN 2007-2009

Banda Aceh, Jan. 30 (ANTARA) - Aceh Province has recorded a total of 99 cases of human-animal conflicts from 2007 to 2009 which have caused some animals to perish.

"Due to the human-wildlife conflicts, the number of animals in Aceh has decreased, as wild animals such as elephants were hunted by people," Yakob Ishadamy, head of the Aceh Green Secretariat, said here on Saturday.

There were 33 cases of human-animal conflicts in 2007, 46 cases in 2008 and 30 cases in 2009, he said. People used to take a short-cut by hunting the wild animals, such as elephants and tigers.

In 1996, there were 600-700 elephants in Aceh Province, and the number was estimated to decrease to 350-450 elephants in 2007.

The population of elephants in Aceh had depleted by almost 40 percent during 1996-2006.

From 2007 to September 2008, 39 elephants were captured or killed, he said.

On Sumatra Island as a whole, the population of elephants was estimated to reach between 2,400 and 2,800 heads in 2007. Some of the elephants lived in small blocks of forests which could not support the survival of elephants in a long term, he said.