50 Elephants In Conservation Area Of Ogan Komering Ilir Regency, South Sumatra Saved From Forest And Land Fires

Elephants at the Padang Sugihan SM conservation center, Ogan Komering Ilir Regency, South Sumatra (Photo: ANTARA/HO-BKSDA South Sumatra)

SUMSEL - As many as 50 elephants in the conservation area of the Padang Sugihan Wildlife Sanctuary, Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) Regency, South Sumatra have survived forest and land fires (karhutla).

Head of the Conservation Section for Region III of the South Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Center, Aziz Abdul Latif, said the fire that occurred in other use areas (APL) or outside the forest area was only 1.5 kilometers from the Padang Sugihan SM conservation area on Saturday, July 24.

“Since yesterday the fire has been under control. Right now, it's just a puff of smoke, and efforts are being made to cool it from the air using a water-bombing helicopter", Aziz said in Palembang as quoted by Antara, Wednesday, July 28.

Relevant agencies since a few days ago include personnel from Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA), Center for Climate Change Control of Forest and Land Fires (PPIKHL) for Sumatra Region to community groups (pokmas) working to extinguish forest and land fires in Rambai Village, Pangkalan Lampam District.

The fire was also carried out using an air fleet using water bomber helicopters by Indonesian Air Force personnel.

This fast action was carried out so that the fire did not enter the Padang Sugihan SM area which contains 50 elephants, consisting of 31 conservation elephants and 19 wild elephants. The age of this elephant is between 1 month to 40 years.

These elephants are generally rescued from conflicts with residents from Ogan Komering Ulu, East Ogan Komering Ulu, Banyuasin to Lampung.

In its development, since being placed in Padang Sugihan SM, dozens of these elephants can breed well, resulting in a number of births.

This elephant is also often used to resolve land conflicts, namely driving wild elephants back to their habitat or away from residential areas.

Although the location of the fire that occurred is not an elephant's roaming path, with very dry weather, it is feared that the fire will grow and get out of control.

This precarious condition actually also occurred a few months ago, in fact, the location is a passing point for a group of elephants.

Therefore, the handling of forest and land fires in the OKI is a serious concern, not only to save human lives but also because in this area there is a conservation forest area.

According to Aziz, the consequences of forest and land fires will have a negative impact on the lives of animals in Padang Sugihan SM, especially on the preservation of elephants, starting from the occurrence of habitat fermentation, loss of natural food, to the threat of death.

"We continue to monitor developments every time, especially during the peak of this dry season", he said.

In the event of an emergency, it becomes impossible to evacuate this herd of elephants quickly. The most likely step is to direct it to a water source, namely the Padang Air River, said Aziz.

Meanwhile, South Sumatra is increasing its awareness of forest and land fires as this area enters the peak of the dry season starting from August-October 2021.

Head of the Emergency Management Division of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of South Sumatra Province, Ansori said his institution had requested the addition of six water-bombing helicopters to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).

Currently, South Sumatra has only prepared five water-bombing helicopters to deal with forest and land fires in 10 areas that have been designated as an emergency alert.

"Meanwhile, there have been 134 water-bombing attempts to extinguish forest and land fires in three districts, such as Banyuasin, Ogan Ilir, and Ogan Komering Ilir", he said.

During this period, at least 4.5 hectares of land were burned in Ibul Besar Village, North Indralaya District, Ogan Ilir Regency last week, and dozens of hectares of land were burned in Pangkalan Lampam and Pedamaran Districts, Ogan Komering Ilir Regency, last Sunday, July 25.