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.
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.
Can't find what you're looking for?
View all search resultsCan't find what you're looking for?
View all search results
In recent years, several incidents have been reported of Sumatran elephants dying from poison set by farmers who consider them pests, as well as fatal attacks on humans. The species also faces serious threats from poaching, with their tusks highly sought after in the illegal wildlife trade.
The recent ban on elephant rides highlights the critical need for consensual deliberation in managing a balance between the various dimensions of contemporary conservation, including animal, community and environmental welfare.
“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.
Zoo spokesperson Sulhan Syafi'i said the remaining funds for animal feed will only last until Dec. 10, and so far the zoo has received no emergency assistance from either the Bandung administration or the central government.
Burhanuddin Masyud, an expert in Ecology and Wildlife Management at Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), recently reported that around 1,585 hectares of Sumatran elephant habitat in the Seblat landscape, Bengkulu, one of the species’ remaining key habitats, was lost between January 2024 and October 2025.
Upon opening the door, he saw an elephant standing in front of the house, with two others nearby. The family grew frightened as the herd lingered around the house. Fearing for their safety, Sardo told his wife and four children to flee through the back door.
