Kompas, 9 July 2009 - Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP) just received 4 sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) from Way Kambas National Park’s Elephant Training Centre. These four elephants will become members of elephant patrol which main duty is to drive away wild elephants back to the forest.

Chief of Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Kurnia Rauf, said on Wednesday (8/7) that BBSNP received these 4 elephants on Monday night (6/7), where now they are located in Pemerihan post on BBSNP area of Lampung Barat.

As reported before, herds of wild elephants often enter settlements area in Pemerihan area of Belimbing Bengkunat, Lampung Barat. People around Way Pemerihan, Belimbing Bengkunat, has been disturbed by wild elephants since March 2009 until now.

Even one of Way Pemerihan inhabitants, was found dead last April 2009 because of overstepped by wild elephants. Kurnia Rauf said the settlement area is used to be wild elephant home range. ”It is normal if those elephants keep entering settlement’s area,” said Kurnia.

To help people of Way Pemerihan, BBSNP management officials try to drive away wild elephants by placing one team of forest ranger at Pemerihan post, BBSNP.