One of the greatest issues and the main form of conflict between elephants and humans is that of crop-raiding by the elephants. As the elephant’s habitat is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, they would, by force of circumstance, intrude into villages and settlement areas to source for food. Elephants may also prefer to feed on crops in farms as compared to wild forage, because they are more nutritious and appetising to them. As a result, the elephants frequently raid and cause damage to crops, in the process they might even damage property and kill people.
Did you know?
One of the Sumatran Elephant’s favourite foods is the heart of the palm plant, which is found in the centre core of an oil palm tree. In order to obtain it, the elephant needs to knock the tree down which would kill the crop of farmers. This could spark tension and build anger in the farmers as it affects their livelihood. Furthermore, oil palm is amongst the most lucrative crops in Sumatra.
Small farmers could lose their source of income due to the damage done to their crops from elephant raids but large-scale agricultural landscapes are also affected likewise. For example, in Riau, Indonesia, where there is the largest amount of palm oil produced, losses are estimated to be around $105m USD as a result of elephants destroying crops in the oil palm plantations.