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View all search resultsUse of elephants in post-flood cleanup in Aceh draws criticism
“Elephants are a protected species. Involving them in heavy post-disaster work puts their safety at risk. Deploying elephants also contradicts conservation principles, which place animal welfare as a priority,” Daniel Johan, a member of House of Representatives Commission IV overseeing agriculture, forestry and fisheries, said.
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A trained Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) ridden by a mahout clears wooden debris on Dec. 8 in a residential area of Meunasah Bie village, Pidie Jaya regency, Aceh. The Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) deployed four trained elephants to help remove debris in Pidie Jaya following the widespread flooding and landslides that struck the northern regions of Sumatra and killed more than 900 people. (Antara Foto/Irwansyah Putra)
T
he government is facing mounting public criticism after deploying trained Sumatran elephants to help clear flood debris in Aceh, a move that activists and lawmakers say puts the endangered species at unnecessary risk.
Daniel Johan, a member of House of Representatives’ Commission IV overseeing agriculture, forestry and fisheries, said the decision violates fundamental conservation principles.
“Elephants are a protected species. Involving them in heavy post-disaster work puts their safety at risk. Deploying elephants also contradicts conservation principles, which place animal welfare as a priority,” he said on Wednesday, as quoted by Tempo.
Daniel emphasized that flood debris should be cleared using proper machinery. Even if access for heavy equipment is limited, he said, authorities should not resort to using elephants as substitutes.
“Commission IV encourages future disaster response efforts to prioritize equipment that is safe for both humans and animals,” he added.
Public response online echoed these concerns with many social media users expressing frustration and sympathy for the elephants.
“Poor them, use heavy machinery for god’s sake,” one netizen wrote. Another commented, “Humans destroy their homes and then use them for labor.” Others pointed out the painful irony that the elephants are now cleaning up the same destruction that drove them from their homes.
