On September 28, 2026, Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni visited the Elephant Conservation Information Center (PIKG) to strengthen the protection of Sumatran elephant habitats and corridors in the Bukit Tigapuluh Landscape, spanning Jambi and Riau, through cross-sectoral collaboration aimed at maintaining habitat connectivity while supporting the livelihoods of local communities.

The Bukit Tigapuluh Landscape is one of the most important ecosystems for Sumatran elephants. The elephants’ range in this area spans territories with diverse functions, management statuses, and stakeholders. These conditions make the protection of corridors and habitat connectivity a crucial component of long-term conservation efforts. Well-maintained Sumatran elephant corridors ensure connected spaces for elephants to move and carry out their activities, and can reduce the potential for negative interactions between humans and wildlife.

Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni emphasized that conservation must go hand in hand with community empowerment and the provision of sustainable livelihood alternatives. These efforts are reinforced through the PROTECT30 program, which involves Proforest, WWF-Indonesia, KKI Warsi, the APP Group, the government, and various stakeholders. Activities include habitat restoration, monitoring elephant movements, food enrichment on approximately 2.8 hectares of land, and community empowerment.

Through this collaboration, it is hoped that the protection of Sumatran elephants will be strengthened, human-wildlife conflicts will be minimized, and a balance between conservation and community well-being will be maintained.