"Lisa has given birth to a healthy baby elephant," said Public Relation of Riau`s Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), Syamsidar, to ANTARA.
He added the 23-year Lisa which is one of the members of "Flying Squad" formed by Forestry Ministry and WWF Indonesia, had labored by herself at forest edge without getting any help from human beings.
"We were surprised to know it that when we were on our way to taking a bath, the baby elephant has been beside her," Syamsidar said, adding that this birth had added another member to the Flying Squad from six to seven members, four of which are adult.
In 2007, Lisa the other elephants had given birth two babies named Teso and Nela.
"The elephant itself is already closer to extinction, and that birth is a good achievement for us in Teso Nilo," Syamsidar said.
According to the 2009 survey by WWF, the population for Sumatran elephants had reached 200 s on Teso Nilo, and there are about 350 elephants in the entire Riau Province. The beast`s lives, however, are being threatened by forest conversions and conflicts with human being.(*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
