Government Issues Inpres for Saving Sumatran and Borneo Elephants

Sumatran elephant in Bentang Alam Bukit Tigapuluh Jambi (ANTARA/HO-BKSDA Jambi)

JAKARTA - Minister of Forestry (Menhut) Raja Juli Antoni announced that President Prabowo Subianto had officially issued Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 8 of 2026 concerning the Rescue of the Population and Habitat of Sumatran Elephants and Kalimantan Elephants.

Menhut said the Inpres regulates the involvement of various sectors so that the rescue of elephant populations and habitats is protected along with ongoing development.

He gave an example, if the construction of infrastructure such as roads crosses the elephant's home range, then a wildlife corridor must be prepared so that the elephant's movement is not interrupted.

"If, for example, the Ministry of Public Works (PU) builds a road and it interferes with the home range of the elephant, then a corridor must be made for itself," said the Minister of Finance, as reported by ANTARA, Friday, July 10.

"Likewise, if there are plantations that enter the elephant's travel route, there must be space that is vacated and even enriched into a preservation area so that elephants can still move in their habitat with enough food," he said.

In the instruction, it is stated that there are nine ministries involved in saving the elephant population and habitat, namely the Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut), the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan), the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemdagri), the Ministry of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN), and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM).

Furthermore, other ministries involved are the Ministry of Public Works (PU), the Ministry of Environment (LH), the Ministry of Finance (Kemenkeu), the Investment and Industrialization Ministry/Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM).

In addition, the police, governors, regents/mayors in Sumatra and North Kalimantan are also involved so that they are actively involved in elephant protection.

"All ministries that have been given mandates in this Inpres have the obligation to guard Mrs. Seroja's house, Bang Domang (names of elephants in Tesso Nilo National Park), and his friends. God willing, we will execute better in the field," said Raja Antoni.

Menhut also said that this Inpres was also a "gift" for Nona Seroja who was one month old.

"Today, July 10, is Nona Seroja's birthday, happy birthday to Nona Seroja, there is good news for Nona Seroja, Bang Domang, Sumatran elephants and Kalimantan elephants, there has been a Presidential Instruction for the rescue of the population and habitat of Sumatran and Kalimantan elephants," said Menhut Raja Antoni.