Forestry Minister confirms Riau's Sumatra elephant corridor will be connected soon

Jakarta (ANTARA) — Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni has confirmed that the Sumatra elephant corridor in Riau will be connected soon to safeguard natural movement and ensure the species’ continued viability.

‘Alhamdulillah, in this good month, I had the opportunity to visit PLG Sebanga. A few months ago I also visited Sebanga, and I received aspirations that PLG Sebanga was in a worrying condition, with netizens saying only 1 hectare remained. Alhamdulillah now we have ensured 15 hectares for their enclosure,’ the Minister said.

‘We also now have clean water tanks; we have established an embung, a crush cage for treatment, and feed enrichment has been provided on about 1 hectare of land with sugarcane, pineapple, and bananas,’ he added.

Minister Antoni said he had conducted direct checks at the Pusat Latihan Gajah (PLG) Sebanga and PLG Minas in Riau Province. The visits focused on evaluating and accelerating the corridor-connection program, which has been fragmented by land conversion and forest damage.

Previously, he had inspected PLG Sebanga on 29 November 2025. At that time, he heard community aspirations regarding limited land and facilities at PLG Sebanga and ordered his staff to undertake improvements.

After Sebanga, the Minister continued to PLG Minas, where the government aims to strengthen animal-health facilities and promote connectivity of isolated elephant habitats.

During the visit, Raja Juli Antoni urged all parties to support conservation efforts.

‘In PLG Minas, God willing, we will establish an elephant clinic, and there is a programme to connect the corridor from PLG Minas to other sites that are isolated due to forest fragmentation,’ he said.