Government prepares Inpres to save Sumatran elephants

PEKANBARU - The government is preparing a presidential instruction (inpres) for the rescue of the Sumatran elephant population whose habitat continues to shrink.

Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni stated that the presidential decree was made considering that the elephant habitat condition is experiencing extraordinary fragmentation. From the original 44 elephant habitat pockets in Sumatra, the number is now decreasing.

"There used to be 44 elephant pockets in Sumatra. The first Sunday I worked as a minister of forestry, it was recorded that there were only 12 elephant pockets, and a month later there were only 11," said Raja Juli Antoni as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, March 5.

According to him, the shrinkage of the habitat pocket is triggered by illegal practices in forest areas which cause elephant habitats to be fragmented and isolated. As a handling step, the Ministry of Forestry is preparing an inpres to save Sumatran elephants.

This policy will later be focused on efforts to reconnect separated habitat pockets. "We will connect the remaining elephant pockets and also strengthen connectivity within the habitat pocket," he said.

He emphasized that the current population of Sumatran elephants is in a state of threatened extinction with a number of around 1,200 individuals spread from Aceh to Lampung. Therefore, the government also pays serious attention to the practice of illegal hunting that hunts elephant tusks.

"We need to convey to the public that these elephants are classified as endangered. Illegal hunting looking for ivory must continue to be anticipated," he said.

Raja Juli Antoni also appreciated the law enforcement efforts carried out by the police in handling wildlife crimes.

"We appreciate the hard work of the Riau Regional Police. We hope this will be the last incident and that no more people will play with the existence of wildlife. The state will be present to take firm action against the perpetrators," he said.