Indonesia launches Sumatran Elephant Conservation Strategy

Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry has launched the Sumatran Elephant Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (SRAK) to protect endangered elephant populations and their habitats. Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni emphasized that the plan must serve as an executable operational guideline rather than a theoretical document, calling for consistent implementation at the grassroots level.

The initiative comes as the number of active elephant enclaves in Indonesia has declined from 42 to 21. To address this, the government is leveraging Presidential Instruction No 8 of 2026, which focuses on accelerating the protection and rescue of Sumatran and Kalimantan elephant populations. Specific localized efforts include the Peusangan Elephant Conservation Initiative (PECI) in Aceh.

To mitigate human-wildlife conflict, particularly in regions like Way Kambas, Lampung, the government is promoting coexistence strategies. This includes plans for a barrier exceeding 100 kilometers to reduce territorial disputes that have resulted in property damage, crop loss, and human fatalities. The strategy relies on collaboration between government agencies, local communities, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations.