Forestry Minister: Conservationists value President Prabowo's deep commitment to wildlife conservation

Jakarta (ANTARA) — Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni stated that several conservation activists, both international and domestic, view President Prabowo Subianto as a president deeply committed to wildlife conservation and the management of national parks in Indonesia.

“I have met extensively with international and domestic conservation activists, and they are very appreciative. They say that President Prabowo Subianto is the president who cares most about wildlife conservation and Indonesia’s national parks,” said Raja Juli following a limited meeting with President Prabowo at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Thursday.

Raja Juli noted that President Prabowo is currently preparing a Presidential Instruction (Inpres) on saving the populations and habitats of Sumatran and Bornean elephants.

The Inpres, he explained, will direct relevant ministers to assist the Forestry Ministry in saving elephant populations.

Raja Juli stated that the conservation measures undertaken by Prabowo have been warmly received by activists, who view the steps as efforts to protect and preserve wildlife and their habitats, particularly in regions with high biodiversity.

On another front, he emphasised that these conservation measures are important to undertake. Only 21 elephant conservation pockets remain in Indonesia’s forested conservation areas, down from the original 41.

“And if there is no serious government intervention, the degradation of these elephant pockets is inevitable, and therefore the elephant population, which is one of Indonesia’s protected species and an iconic species of our nation, may well become extinct,” he stressed.

In addition to the elephant conservation instruction, Prabowo is also preparing a Presidential Decree to establish a Task Force for Innovative Financing and National Park Management.

The task force aims to promote more sustainable funding models for national park management in Indonesia.

“We will seek innovative, sustainable funding, including involving the private sector so that once again our national parks become world-class parks, our forests are well-maintained and sustainable, but at the same time the wildlife that is our pride and our nation’s wealth can also be properly protected,” he said.

As an initial step, the government will prepare several pilot projects for national park management, including one at Way Kambas National Park in Lampung.