Forestry Minister Praised for Strengthening Indonesia's Elephant Protection Policy

The government’s move to issue Presidential Instruction (Inpres) No. 8 of 2026 on Elephant Population Protection has received positive attention from the international conservation community. The policy, under the leadership of Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni, is considered a crucial point in strengthening efforts to save elephants in Indonesia. The appreciation came from the Chair of the IUCN SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group, Heidi Riddle. According to her, the issuance of the Inpres sends a strong signal that Indonesia has a serious commitment to building elephant conservation through cross-sector collaboration. “The issuance of Presidential Instruction No. 8 of 2026 on Elephant Population Protection is an important milestone for elephant conservation in Indonesia and provides a very positive signal for the Asian elephant conservation community. Elephant conservation has never been an easy job,” she told reporters on Monday, 13 July 2026. Heidi explained that elephant protection cannot rely solely on the management of conservation areas. This is because the animals have a wide roaming range, thus requiring support from various sectors, ranging from local governments, spatial planning, infrastructure development, to the plantation and agricultural sectors. “As animals with a wide roaming range that cross various administrative boundaries, the survival of elephants is highly dependent on cross-sector cooperation, not only the management of conservation areas, but also spatial planning, infrastructure development, the plantation and agricultural sectors, local 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 had a direct discussion with Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni regarding the challenges of elephant conservation. From that meeting, Heidi assessed that the government showed seriousness in strengthening the protection of these protected animals. “I express my appreciation to the Minister of Forestry, Mr. Raja Juli Antoni, and the Government of Indonesia for their leadership and commitment in producing this important policy,” she stated. Nonetheless, Heidi reminded that policy implementation requires a process and consistency. According to her, Inpres No. 8 of 2026 has become a strong foundation to accelerate efforts to protect the elephant population in Indonesia.