A palm oil tree destroyed by the elephants when they looked for food.
LAHAD DATU: Some 60 elephants spotted in Anjung Teduh, Felda Sahabat were believed to have entered the area looking for food.
District Wildlife Department Officer Silvester Saimin when contacted yesterday said efforts to drive out the elephants from the plantation have been made since Saturday.
“Today (Saturday) we launched an effort to drive out the elephants from Felda Sahabat. Eight personnel from the department were involved and were assisted by settlers in the area.
“We use multi bank, tractor machine as well as instruments to drive out the elephants,” he said, adding that after the elephants leave the plantation, they will return to their own habitat.
Silvester said the elephants spotted in the area are a combination of three groups that have been identified.
He said each leader in the elephant groups wore satellite collars and these elephants came from Cenderawasih, Pelita and Tungku groups.
Silvester added that efforts to chase out the elephants will take some time and usually, they will return to the forest on their own.
Recently, the villagers in Anjung Teduh voiced out their fear of elephants in their residential area.
The elephants were claimed to have eaten the villagers’ crops and frequently leaned on the pillars of their houses.