"We will not reopen until the health protocols have been readied," Head of the TNTN Center Halasan Tulus noted in a statement here on Monday.
The TNTN management recently conducted a simulated reopening of the park by implementing COVID-19 health protocols for visitors within the resort that is home to tamed Sumatran elephants. During the simulation, the park's personnel and visitors were required to wear masks during their interactions with benign elephants.
"This is since we are concerned that disease carriers might be among the visitors. Beyond a doubt, we do not want our location to become a COVID-19 transmission cluster. If the preparations run well, we will open it again," he stated.
The Pelalawan District Tourism Office in Riau Province has written a letter to the TNTN management to allow ecotourism-based tourist attractions to reopen. However, the park's management are in no haste since foreign tourists, with special interest, constitute several of the park's visitors.
"We are targeting (tourists) from overseas, so we must prepare the health protocols," he stated.
TNTN covers an area of 81,793 hectares and is home to a plethora of 360 species of fauna and 34 mammalian species, of which 18 are protected species, including the Sumatran tiger and Sumatran elephant.
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Translator: FB Anggoro, Fardah
Editor: Sri Haryati
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