TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Popular Reads
Top Results
No results found. Please check your search term and try again
Can't find what you're looking for?
View all search results
Popular Reads
Top Results
No results found. Please check your search term and try again
Can't find what you're looking for?
View all search resultsElephant ride ban raises concerns at conservation sites
Sugiyo, landscape manager at Taman Nasional Way Kambas (TNWK) in Lampung, said the policy would disrupt elephants’ daily routines and sharply reduce human interaction, increasing the risk of stress and boredom.
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Tourists watch as Sumatran elephants parade in an event to commemorate Independence Day at Taman Safari Indonesia in Cisarua, Bogor regency, West Java, on Aug. 16, 2025. (Antara/Arif Firmansyah)
O
perators of conservation sites have expressed concerns over the government’s recent ban on elephant rides at zoos and conservation centers across the country, warning that poorly implemented restrictions could harm the welfare of the critically endangered animals.
Sugiyo, landscape manager at Taman Nasional Way Kambas (TNWK) in Lampung, said the policy would disrupt elephants’ daily routines and sharply reduce human interaction, increasing the risk of stress and boredom.
“These elephants are accustomed to interacting with humans. Managers must now provide alternative stimulation to prevent stress and shift care from work-based activities to more natural behavior,” he said, as quoted by Pikiranrakyat.com.
Sugiyo added that operators would also need to allocate more land to allow elephants to roam and interact with other elephants after ride activities end to keep them entertained.
Sugiyo said elephant rides require intensive training by mahouts, adding that without such programs, training sessions could decline, raising concerns over safety risks and potential aggression among elephants, particularly in conservation centers with limited space and activities.
He added that the ban could also reduce revenues for conservation sites and zoos, many of which still rely on paid elephant rides to fund their operations.
“We must look for other creative and sustainable business models to support our operations,” he said.
