'Abang Besar' daily appearance leave Orang Asli villagers living in fear
GUA MUSANG: Orang Asli villagers at the Pasik Resettlement Scheme (RPS) here are living in fear as the number of wild elephants frequently roaming their settlement has increased.
GUA MUSANG: Orang Asli villagers at the Pasik Resettlement Scheme live in fear due to the increasing presence of wild elephants. Previously, only two wild elephants roamed the area, but now there are four, dubbed "abang besar" or big brothers by residents. These elephants are seen almost daily, particularly in the early morning, and have begun venturing near homes and school routes.
Their presence has led to daily destruction of crops like cassava, sweet potatoes, and bananas, affecting many residents who rely on their smallholdings. The escalating situation has prompted residents to lodge complaints with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, hoping for immediate relocation of the elephants to prevent more serious consequences.
The issue has persisted for over two years, with the current herd consisting of two adults and two calves, now believed to be part of the ID Nenggiri herd. A recent incident involved a fully grown male elephant wandering near a community campsite in Pos Gob, where 150 participants were startled at 4am, highlighting the growing concern of human-elephant conflict in the area that lies within the Balah Permanent Forest Reserve.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
