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View all search resultsMan, elephant killed amid growing human-animal conflict in Sumatra
Aceh BKSDA said severe floods and landslides that hit Aceh, West Sumatra, and North Sumatra in November last year have significantly altered forest landscapes, disrupting natural elephant habitats and migration corridors.
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A mahout feeds a Sumatran elephant at the Elephant Conservation Information Center operated by the Jambi Natural Resources Conservation Agency in Bukit Tigapuluh, Muara Sekalo, Jambi, on Jan. 23, 2026. (Antara/Wahdi Septiawan)
T
hree separate human-wildlife incidents across Sumatra have left a man and a critically endangered Sumatran elephant dead, highlighting the worsening conflict between humans and animals as deforestation continues on the island.
Musahar, 53, a farmer from Pantan Lah village in Bener Meriah regency, Aceh, died over the weekend after he was reportedly trampled by a Sumatran elephant.
Authorities reported that the incident occurred while Musahar had been staying with his wife in a hut at their family’s corn farm at the village. Around 6 a.m. on Feb. 21, he spotted fresh elephant footprints near the farm and went to investigate.
Shortly afterward, his wife heard the sound of an elephant roaring. Alarmed, she contacted their son and asked him to check on his father. He later found Musahar lying on the ground with what appeared to be elephant footprints on his chest and jaw.
Musahar was rushed to a nearby hospital but died on the way due to the severity of his injuries.
Teuku Irmansyah, head of the Conservation Division at the Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) Region I, said the incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by interactions with wild animals.
“This incident underscores that encounters with wildlife carry high risks, as animal behavior is driven by natural instincts that are difficult to predict,” Teuku told The Jakarta Post recently.
