Panic broke out among residents of Karang Ampar and Bergang villages in Central Aceh when they heard about the discovery of Sumatran elephant tracks in the Peusangan watershed. The villagers were worried that a stray elephant would enter the village and residential area. The villagers, who mostly have gardens, were also worried that the elephants would damage them. Some brave villagers patrolled for up to a month. They tried to drive away the elephants despite their limited knowledge, and at the risk of their safety.

The human-elephant conflict occurs due to the increasingly limited habitat of the animals, causing disorientation for the elephants, which eventually enter the village because they need to eat.

Beginning to Coexist with Elephants

However, that old story is gone. Now, Karang Ampar and Bergang residents are willing to coexist with elephants. The community feels calmer after the Karang Ampar and Bergang Flora and Fauna Safety Team (TPFF) was formed in 2018. TPFF plays a role in monitoring the movement of elephants living around the Peusangan forest. TPFF was formed by the village government and receives funding support from the village to carry out its activities.

In addition, TPFF and the communities of the two villages are also working on an 800-hectare elephant terminal. The goal is to provide the herd, which usually stops by the village every six months, with a comfortable place to stay where food is readily available. "The community is willing to set aside some of their customary land and land used for livestock so that it can be used as an elephant terminal. In fact, the community is willing to work together to plant food at the elephant terminal," said TPFF Coordinator Muslim in an interview on September 24, 2021.

In fact, TPFF is a group of 24 village youths tasked with overseeing the Karang Ampar and Bergang Agreement for Forest and Animal Protection. The consensus contains rules prohibiting elephant poaching and illegal timber collection.

In carrying out its mandate, TPFF also conducts smart patrols, which is routine forest monitoring for 15 days a month. The team involved in the patrol collects data on the presence of animals and illegal logging, and identifies the traces of poachers.

The smart patrol activity has succeeded in stopping illegal logging that occurred in the forest near the village, in collaboration with local authorities.

With the end of the collaboration between TPFF and WWF Indonesia Foundation in December 2020, smart patrol activities are no longer carried out. However, TPFF and the community continue to carry out independent conflict mitigation independently.

TPPFF Collaboration with Many Parties

TPFF also expanded its collaboration by working with human-elephant conflict mitigation teams in other villages in the Aceh Elephant Forum. Thus a communication network is formed to handle elephant problems together and communicate with official institutions.

Support for the sustainability of TPFF is always expected.

The group still has dreams of realizing an elephant terminal in the future. Furthermore, TPFF also aspires to develop an ecotourism area that offers a wild elephant monitoring experience. From this endeavor, they can earn additional income.

With the continued existence of TPFF, life between humans and elephants in Karang Ampar and Bergang can achieve harmony. Humans can live their lives in peace and comfort. Meanwhile, elephants can still live and carry out their role in nature according to their ecological function, namely maintaining the sustainability of forest resources.