Elephants in Bengkulu training center in danger of starvation

The threat of starvation looms over elephants at the Elephant Training Center in Putri Hijau, Bengkulu, because of delays in obtaining food and medicine that were pledged by a foreign foundation.

"It has been three months since the aid from the International Elephant Fund [IEF] for the trained elephants' food and health was realized, and this is threatening the wellbeing of the animals," Bengkulu Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA) chief Anom Zamora said Thursday, as quoted by kompas.com.

He said the needs of the elephants, which cost the center around Rp 20 million (US$2,280) a month are currently sustained by the scant regional budget.

“I am looking for funds from a third party or private companies who want to participate [in helping] the trained elephants," Anom said.

He added that the current wet season was making the elephants more prone to disease.

The head of the agency’s administrative division, Supartono, said initially there were 23 elephants at the center, but three had died from illnesses.

The elephants are trained in soccer and taught how to drive wild elephants and illegal loggers away. Several plantation companies previously provided assistance to help take care of the elephants as they benefited from the animals’ work, but such aid has also now stopped.