Good News, A Male Sumatran Elephant Baby Has Been Born At TNTN Pelalawan

Baby Elephant (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - A baby male elephant was born at the Elephants Flying Squad camp, SPTN Region I Lubung Kembang Bunga, Tesso Nilo National Park Center (TNTN) Lubuk Kembang Bungo Village, Pelalawan Regency, Riau, Thursday (2/12), at 02.00 western Indonesia time.

"This male baby elephant is the child of a mother elephant named Ria, 45 years old. The results of morphometric measurements show that the elephant baby was born with a height of 86 centimeters and a body length of 102 centimeters, a body circumference of 103 centimeters, and a weight of 84 kg,” said the Head of Division II BBKSDA Riau, Heru Sutmatoro, told the media in Pekanbaru, Saturday, December 4.

He explained that the baby elephant was bred with wild elephants. The baby is Ria's fourth child, while the other three elephants born to Ria's elephant, named Tesso, Tino, and Harmoni Rimbo.

The birth process took place normally, while the mother and baby were in good health. Until now, the Riau BBKSDA medical team continues to conduct health checks on the mother and baby elephants.

"We have recorded that the Elephants Flying Squad in Tesso Nilo National Park has experienced four births from two tame elephant mothers, namely Lisa and Ria, in the last five years," he said as quoted by ANTARA.

To be exact, he said, a year ago, at the end of 2020, Lisa gave birth to a male elephant baby that is currently named Ryu.

Heru said that the addition of a Sumatran elephant calf in the Elephants Flying Squad of Tesso Nilo National Park reinforces the fact that the forest area of ​​Tesso Nilo National Park is an important habitat that contributes to the increase in the Sumatran elephant population.

He explained that in 2011, the IUCN has determined the conservation status of the Sumatran elephant to be in the Critically Endangered (CR) category, which means this animal is on the verge of extinction.

"The Sumatran elephant is one of the protected mammal species as stated in the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry Number: P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 concerning the Second Amendment to the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia Number P.20/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/6/2018 concerning Protected Types of Plants and Animals," he said.

In line with that, the birth of a baby elephant in the Elephants Flying S​​​​​quad, Tesso Nilo National Park, increases the optimism and enthusiasm of Tesso Nilo National Park as a center for Sumatran elephant conservation in Riau in preserving its population.

The Tesso Nilo National Park Office hopes that the birth of the Sumatran elephant in the Elephants Flying Squad TNTN camp can realize the vision, mission, and goals of managing the national park.

"Currently, the total number of elephants in Elephants Flying S​​​quad C​​& TNTN is 10, namely four adult elephants, two juvenile elephants, and four child elephants," said Heru.