JAKARTA - The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) is working with the Vantara conservation center from India in an effort to prevent the death of Sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus) due to Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpes Virus (EEHV) infection.
Minister of Forestry (Menhut) Raja Juli Antoni said he would pay special attention to EEHV prevention after the death of an elephant child named Laila at the Elephant Conservation Center (PKG) Sebanga, Bengkalis, Riau due to EEHV infection.
To prevent similar things from happening, the Minister of Finance, King Antoni, asked Fauna Land Indonesia for help in bringing elephant doctors from Vantara in India. Vantara is a center for the rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation of giant wildlife in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India with one of the most advanced Elephant Hospitals in the world
"I have contacted my friends in India to find the antivirus, it's just a study whether it's suitable or not for our elephants. But now there is progress. They even give it for free if it matches our elephants. Just one more research step," said Menhut.
Following up on this, Fauna Land Indonesia together with the Vantara India Team arrived in Riau on Monday (22/12). Their arrival was to conduct medical analysis and take preventive measures against the spread of the EEHV virus.
Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE) Satyawan Pudyatmoko said their arrival in Riau today was to evaluate the condition of elephants in the region.
"Today we are visiting the Buluh Cina Natural Park (TWA) in the KSDAE Riau Grand Hall, together with a team from Vantara from India to jointly evaluate together to see the condition of the elephants that are captive. Because we know some time ago there was an incident, for example, a baby elephant who died from the EEHV virus, which we will prevent," explained the Director General of KSDAE Kemenhut Satyawan as quoted by ANTARA.
According to him, preventing elephant deaths due to EEHV infection requires adequate knowledge and skills, especially in detecting early symptoms. With this cooperation, he hopes to be able to save the Sumatran elephant population which is not only threatened by the loss of their ecosystem homes, but also the threat of EEHV.
"So to prevent that, we need to have enough knowledge. There needs to be enough skills. We are working with our partners from abroad to come together. Making a data peaceline for the elephants here, then of course capacity building for the mahout (elephant trainer)," he explained.
Although this cooperation started in Buluh Cina, the preventive efforts will later reach all elephant pockets in Tesso Nilo National Park, Sebanga, Way Kambas and other locations.
Meanwhile, the CEO of Fauna Land Indonesia, Danny Gunalen, said that his party, as Vantara's representative in Indonesia, is ready to support the government in surveying and handling elephant health at the Buluh Cina TWA.
He said that a team of elephant specialists from India had conducted an initial diagnosis, studying the health and welfare of elephants at the location, especially after the spread of herpes disease.
"They have expert doctors who are now surveying this location where a herpes disease outbreak occurred some time ago, we have seen diagnosing, studying the condition and well-being of these giraffes, and we will take the next steps, preventive measurements from the medical and will be periodic. We apply it to avoid another death," he said.
This cross-border collaboration is expected to strengthen the elephant protection system in Indonesia. At the same time, it becomes a model for handling wildlife health that is more measurable, data-based, and oriented towards early prevention.
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