Good News, Sumatran Elephant Calves From Olive And Theo Born At The Gunung Leuser Animal Training Center

JAKARTA - A Sumatran elephant calf (Elephas maximus sumatranus) was born at the Tangkahan Special Animal Training Center (PLSK), Gunung Leuser National Park (TN). The male elephant calf was born to a Sumatran elephant mother named Olive and a male named Theo.

This elephant calf was born in Namo Sialang Village, Batang Serangan District, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra, last Wednesday, November 17 at around 03.00 WIB.

This newborn Sumatran elephant has a body circumference of 101 cm and a shoulder height of 80 cm. The medical team immediately checked the health of both the mother and the baby elephant and provided them with multivitamins and muscle strengthening.

Acting Head of the Gunung Leuser National Park Center, Adhi Nurul Hadi said, this birth is the second Sumatran elephant in Tangkahan PLSK in 2021. Previously, on February 1, 2021, a female elephant calf named Boni was born from a mother named Sari with the same male.

"Baby elephants are still vulnerable and need intensive care. Therefore, their health will continue to be monitored so that they grow well," explained Adhi in his official statement, Monday, November 22.

The staff enthusiastically welcomed the birth of the baby elephant which had been in its mother's womb for approximately 22 months. They hope that the Sumatran elephant can increase its population both in the Tangkahan PLSK and in the wild.

In accordance with the Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation Number: P.22/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/5/2019 concerning Conservation Institutions, the management of tame elephants in Tangkahan is carried out in the form of a Special Conservation Institution, namely PLSK with a function to support the handling of wildlife conflicts, especially elephants. Sumatra around the Gunung Leuser National Park area as well as a place for education and research on Sumatran Elephant conservation.

The management of tame elephants in Tangkahan PLSK also involves cooperation partners from the Gunung Leuser National Park, namely VESSSWIC and Tangkahan CRU. With the birth of an elephant calf, currently the Tangkahan Special Animal Training Center manages 10 tame elephants. Consisting of five adult female elephants, one adult male elephant, two male elephant calves, and two female elephant calves.