"We all know that our nature is crying out. This is our shared challenge," Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni told participants of the National Nature Conservation Day 2025 event in Jakarta on Monday.
He argued that the environment degradation that continues to threaten the protected flora and fauna species is closely related to the practices of illegal development practices.
"Several development processes are legal and well-regulated, but many others are illegal and continue to damage environment," the minister said while highlighting the importance of several ongoing and planned government initiatives to address this challenging problem.
One of the government initiatives is the Peusangan Elephant Conservation Initiative (PECI), being developed on land donated by President Prabowo and currently in process, to support the elephant conservation, he said.
In addition, in coordination with the Forest Area Enforcement Task Force (PKH), his ministry is working to reclaim land in Tesso Nilo National Park, home to Sumatran elephants, from illegal palm oil plantations.
According to Antoni, only 22 elephant habitat zones remain across the Indonesian island of Sumatra, down sharply from 44 identified in the 1980s.
Several other endangered species facing similar threats include Sumatran tiger, and three species of orangutans found in Indonesia -- the Bornean orangutan, the Sumatran orangutan, and the Tapanuli orangutan, he added.
"This is a critical moment to remind ourselves of the immense challenges we face in conservation," he said while underscoring the importance of collaboration in dealing with the challenges.
To this end, the Forestry Ministry welcomes partnerships from civil society organizations and other stakeholders, as well as public participating in the ecosystem restoration and conservation efforts.
As reported earlier, in helping end human-elephant conflicts in Central Aceh District, Aceh Province, Raja Juli Antoni emphasizes the need to economically empower local communities in 12 buffer villages.
They also need to get involved in supplying vegetation for the Sumatran elephants as part of PECI, Indonesia-United Kingdom conservation project to protect elephant populations in the region, he said.
Human-elephant conflicts have been a major conservation concern in several Sumatran provinces, including Lampung and Aceh.
In Aceh, sightings of elephants searching for food have been reported in districts such as Tamiang, Pidie, Central Aceh, Bener Meriah, and Bireuen.
According to WWF data, the Sumatran elephant population is estimated at 2,400–2,800.
The organization notes that poaching for the illegal ivory trade remains a serious threat, with ivory still found in markets in Africa, Asia, the United States, and Europe.
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Translator: Prisca TV, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Primayanti
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