BPBD and BKSDA Fit GPS Collar on Wild Elephant in West Aceh

The West Aceh Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), in collaboration with the Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) through its Conservation Response Unit (CRU), has fitted a GPS tracking collar on a wild elephant in Pungki Village, Sungai Mas District. Acting Head of BPBD West Aceh Teuku Ronal stated that the collaring marks a crucial turning point in the strategy for handling elephant conflict in the area. The collar was prioritised for a wild elephant recorded as most frequently interacting with village activities. He explained that previous handling patterns were reactive, with officers only moving once a conflict had already occurred on the ground. With the GPS collar, the local government hopes to prevent elephants from entering community settlements. According to Ronal, the herd’s movements can now be monitored periodically and in real time. If wild elephants are detected approaching residential areas or community plantations, the joint team can immediately take swift action before the animals enter sensitive zones. He added that the presence of trained elephants is vital to assist the team in approaching, facilitating the collaring process, and helping to guide wild elephants safely back to their habitat. The collaborative action involved various expert elements, including the Aceh BKSDA team, the Wildlife Study Centre (PKSL) of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Syiah Kuala University (USK), CRU Aceh, and the Wildlife Response Unit (WRU) from BPBD West Aceh. Beyond serving as a conflict mitigation tool for public safety, the GPS collaring also carries a major mission to support the conservation of the increasingly threatened Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus).