Riau Police Chief Names Tesso Nilo Elephant Child "Miss Seroja", Symbol of New Hope for Conservation

PELALAWAN - Amid various challenges that still overshadow the conservation efforts of Sumatran elephants, the birth of a female elephant calf in the Tesso Nilo National Park (TNTN) area brings new hope.

Riau Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan also gave the name "Nona Seroja" as a prayer and symbol of optimism for the future of the protected animals.

The name is a form of hope that the life of the Sumatran elephant will continue to grow and develop in its natural habitat.

The birth of the female elephant baby is also an important momentum in the midst of various wildlife rescue efforts and conservation area protection that continues to be carried out in Tesso Nilo.

Riau Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan admitted that he was flattered when asked to give a name for the baby elephant. According to him, the opportunity was an honor and a trust that was full of meaning.

"Before setting the name, I also conveyed and asked for permission from the Minister of Forestry, Mr. Raja Juli Antoni. Thank God he was pleased and agreed to the name we proposed," said Inspector General Herry, Thursday, June 11.

He explained that the name Nona Seroja was chosen because it had a philosophy that was very closely related to the current condition of Tesso Nilo.

The name Nona Seroja was given because seroja is a flower that grows from muddy mud, but is able to bloom cleanly, beautifully, and charmingly above the surface of the water.

"Just like that, this baby elephant was born in the midst of the various challenges faced by Tesso Nilo, but his presence brings new hope. Ms. Seroja symbolizes purity, resilience, and beauty. She is a reminder in the midst of all the chaos, nature always gives the opportunity for hope to grow and bloom," he said.

According to Inspector General Herry, the birth of Nona Seroja is proof that nature still gives all parties the opportunity to improve and maintain the sustainability of conservation areas that are home to Sumatran elephants.

"Some time ago we mourned the various threats that befell wildlife in Tesso Nilo. Today Allah SWT presents good news through the birth of Nona Seroja. This is a symbol of hope to maintain the sustainability of Tesso Nilo is alive and must continue to be fought together," he said.

The Police Chief emphasized that maintaining the sustainability of the Sumatran elephant is not enough to just care for and protect its habitat, but must also be done through strict enforcement of the law against wildlife crime perpetrators.

According to him, the Riau Police will continue to strengthen efforts to protect wildlife through the Green Policing approach which places environmental sustainability as part of the security and sustainability of people's lives.

He said, the Riau Police are currently continuing to develop the investigation into the case of the trade in protected wildlife in the form of elephant tusks by applying the Money Laundering Criminal Act (TPPU) instrument.

This step is carried out to trace, seize, and confiscate the assets of the crime so that it not only punishes the perpetrators, but also breaks the chain of wildlife trafficking crime from the financial side.

"We are not only pursuing the perpetrators, but will also follow the flow of money. Wildlife crime is a crime against the future of the environment. Therefore, through the Green Policing and Green Financial Crime approach, we are committed to breaking this chain of crime to its roots, including assets and profits obtained from the wildlife trade," he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni welcomed the name given by the Riau Police Chief to the baby elephant.

According to Raja Juli, the name Nona Seroja sounds beautiful and has a very deep meaning for the spirit of wildlife conservation and the environment.

"I agree with the name given by the Riau Police Chief. Nona Seroja is a beautiful, beautiful name, and has a deep meaning. The name reflects hope, gentleness, and toughness in facing the challenges of life. Hopefully Nona Seroja will grow healthy and become a symbol of optimism for the future of Sumatran elephant conservation," said Raja Juli.

He added that the birth of the elephant child was a reminder of the efforts to maintain conservation areas and protect wildlife must continue to be carried out consistently by all parties.

"The presence of Nona Seroja is good news for Indonesia. We all have a responsibility to ensure that she and other elephants can live safely in their habitat. Conservation is not only about protecting animals, but also about protecting the future of future generations," said Menhut. []