Indonesians threaten to poison elephants

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

JAKARTA (AFP) — Indonesian villagers threatened Tuesday to poison rare wild elephants that are destroying their palmoil plantations in search of food.

"The residents are so angry and have said they will put poison around the plantation areas to kill the elephants unless officials take quick action," said Jambo Dalem village chief Teungku Baili.

He said he had warned officials in Trumon Timur district of Sumatra's Aceh province, but nothing had been done to protect the plantations.

A herd of eight elephants grazed through the villagers' plantations twice last week, apparently lured to the rows of palm fruit after their natural habitat was wiped out to make way for the lucrative crop.

"I'm afraid that another attack on their plantations will push...