Forestry Minister Praised for Strengthening Indonesia's Elephant Protection Policy

Jakarta, VIVA – The government’s move to issue Presidential Instruction (Inpres) No. 8 of 2026 on Elephant Population Protection has drawn positive attention from the international conservation community.

The policy, implemented under the leadership of Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni, is seen as a key point in strengthening efforts to save Indonesia’s elephants.

The praise came from Heidi Riddle, Chair of the IUCN SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group. According to her, the issuance of the instruction sends a strong signal that Indonesia is seriously committed to elephant conservation through cross-sectoral collaboration.

“The issuance of Presidential Instruction No. 8 of 2026 on Elephant Population Protection is a significant milestone for elephant conservation in Indonesia and sends a very positive signal to the Asian elephant conservation community. Elephant conservation has never been easy work,” she told journalists on Monday, 13 July 2026.

Heidi explained that elephant protection cannot rely solely on the management of conservation areas. Because the animals range across vast territories, they require support from various sectors, from regional governments and spatial planning to infrastructure development, as well as the plantation and agricultural sectors.

“As an animal with a wide range that crosses various administrative boundaries, elephant survival depends heavily on cross-sectoral cooperation — not only conservation area management, but also spatial planning, infrastructure development, the plantation and agriculture sectors, regional governments, and various other stakeholders. The whole-of-government approach reflected in this Presidential Instruction is a very important step,” she said.

She revealed that during a visit to Indonesia some time ago, she held direct discussions with Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni on the challenges of elephant conservation. From that meeting, Heidi assessed that the government demonstrated seriousness in strengthening the protection of the protected species.

“I extend my appreciation to Forestry Minister Mr Raja Juli Antoni and the Indonesian Government for their leadership and commitment in producing this important policy,” she said.

Nevertheless, Heidi cautioned that implementing the policy will require process and consistency. According to her, Inpres No. 8 of 2026 has laid a strong foundation to accelerate efforts to protect Indonesia’s elephant population.