Bener Meriah, Aceh, Feb. 23 -- Landslides along the Peusangan River basin in Aceh have altered the habitat of Sumatran elephants, widening sections of the river by about 200 meters and disrupting long-established feeding and watering grounds, officials and caretakers said.

The Peusangan watershed in Negeri Antara Village, Bener Meriah District, has suffered erosion at several points following recent disasters in Sumatra, according to field observations.

"After the disaster there have been some changes," said Wahdi, a handler of domesticated elephants at the Conservation Response Unit in the Peusangan basin, on Sunday.

"Some feeding areas are gone due to landslides, and places where we usually take them to drink are now like cliffs, so ...