GUA MUSANG, Aug 24 — The Bateq Orang Asli community at Kampung Aring 5 in Pos Lebir here has been living in fear since elephants invaded the settlement and damaged houses and crops in the past week.

Kampung Aring 5 village head, Raina Anjang, 53, said at first, only a female elephant appeared in the settlement hunting for food, but after it gave birth in the orchard, it now often invades the village in question with her young.

"The first day the elephant entered the village was on August 16, the next day it came with its young. On the third day, it broke the window panes of a house and ransacked the kitchen with its trunk,” he said at Kampung Aring 5 here today.

Raina said the elephant also damaged a bamboo house and terrorised a family which was inside.

"The owner of the house managed to get all his children out before calling other residents for help.

"The beast will scavenge on any food in the house, even if it’s rice or salt. Villagers also witnessed the elephant crushing the bamboo house before heading to the banana plantation after being chased away, then demolishing it and causing the owner of the plantation to lose about RM700-RM800 a month,” he said.

Resident Ghani Alang, 55, said that since the intrusion of these wild animals, residents could not go out looking for durians, with some not even daring to stay in bamboo houses anymore.

"We are afraid to go out looking for durians at night for fear of bumping into the elephants. If possible, I hope they can be driven away quickly. I once came face to face with the two elephants and I was terrified,” he said.

Meanwhile, director of the Department of Wildlife Protection and National Parks (Perhilitan) Kelantan Mohamad Hafid Rohani said they have investigated the scene following reports received from villagers.

"Perhilitan will install blue LED lights, and we recommend residents make bonfires and burn tyres by the house. Shooting to scare them away has been carried out and my advice to the villagers is not to provoke the wild animals if they encounter them, but rather to try to save themselves,” he said.

He said department staff will monitor Kampung Aring 5 to prevent any conflict as the elephant is protecting its calf and does not want to retreat into the forest. — Bernama