Against Habitat Destruction, Ministry Of Transportation Takes Steps To Take Care Of Sumatran Elephants In Bengkulu Seblat

The condition of the forest area that experienced substation in the area of the elephant corridor of Bentang Alam Seblat when reviewed by the Deputy Minister of Forestry Rohmat Marzuki in Bengkulu, Tuesday (4/11/2025). ANTARA/HO-Kemenhut

Deputy Minister of Forestry (Wamenhut) Rohmat Marzuki has confirmed that he has taken steps to maintain an important area that is the habitat of the Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) in Bentang Alam Seblat, Bengkulu, which is threatened with forest additional.

"The Seblat corridor is home to the Sumatran elephant. The state will not allow this area to be damaged by illegal activities. This is not only about elephants, but about the sustainability of the ecosystem and the future of humans," said Deputy Minister of Transportation Rohmat Marzuki as confirmed from Jakarta, Tuesday, quoted by Antara.

This was conveyed by the Deputy Minister of Transportation after reviewing the air by helicopter, the current condition of the elephant corridor in Bentang Alam Seblat today.

Monitoring flights are carried out to directly see the distribution of land indicated to be added, illegal access lines, and forest areas that are still intact in Bentang Alam Seblat.

Earlier on Sunday, November 2, the Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) through the Sumatra Forestry Law Enforcement Center together with the Kerinci Seblat National Park Center (TNKS), the Bengkulu Province Environment and Forestry Service (DLHK), North Bengkulu KPH, and Bengkulu BKSDA, carried out security operations in the Air Rami Production Forest area, Air Rami District, Mukomuko Regency.

A total of 18 joint personnel were deployed to the field.

The operation is a follow-up to reports of additional activity in the Bentang Alam Seblat area, an important corridor that is the natural route for the Sumatran Elephant migration. The results of the initial mapping identified five points of alleged forest clearing, including the Production Forest area, Limited Production Forest, and Kerinci Seblat National Park.

On October 31, 2025, the TNKS Resort team had examined and found a new land opening of about 3-4 hectares which was allegedly carried out in September 2025.

In operations on November 2, 2025, a joint team installed a ban board, marked the lines of Civil Servant Investigators (PPNS), as well as collecting information and initial investigations of parties suspected of being involved.

"This quick step shows the government's seriousness in stopping the destruction of forest areas and maintaining the ecological function of Bentang Seblat," said the Deputy Minister of Transportation.

In addition to law enforcement, the government is preparing a plan to restore the ecosystem through collaboration with local governments, companies operating legally around the region, as well as conservation institutions and the community.

Recovery efforts will be carried out through replanting natural vegetation, including elephant feed plants along the corridor, as well as planting protective plants that elephants don't like, such as eucalyptus, on boundaries adjacent to community settlements.

"We open the widest possible space for collaboration. Let's take care of it together Bintang Alam Seblat, not only for elephants, but also for the future of humans who depend on healthy forests," said Rohmat.

He said that efforts to secure forest areas were part of the implementation of President Prabowo's directives to strengthen environmental law enforcement.

"Since January 2025, the Ministry of Transportation has carried out 44 forest security operations from the addition, and 21 of them have been P21," he said.