Indonesia Bans Elephant Riding Practices in Conservation Areas

The government has begun prohibiting the practice of elephant riding displays to protect wildlife in conservation areas. This regulation was issued by Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni through Circular Number 6 of 2025 on 18 December 2025. “The practice of elephant riding displays is no longer in line with modern conservation principles and animal welfare,” said Raja Juli during a Commission IV DPR meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday (14/4/2026). According to him, attention to elephant protection at both national and international levels is very high. Furthermore, Raja Juli mentioned that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will soon issue a presidential instruction regarding the salvation of the population and habitat of Sumatran and Kalimantan elephants. “It has been initialled by several ministers; insya Allah, this instruction will be issued soon,” he continued. In front of Commission IV DPR members, he acknowledged that this policy initially faced rejection from some business actors and managers of public conservation institutions. However, the government conducted dialogues, socialisation, and persuasive approaches regarding this policy to ensure acceptance by all parties. According to the Forestry Minister, Indonesia is the first country to ban elephant riding completely. This PSI politician also revealed that the main reason for this policy is consideration of animal welfare. This is because the practice of elephant riding has the potential to cause physical and psychological pressure on elephants, which are intelligent animals with high sensitivity. On that basis, the government ensures that wildlife management, especially in conservation institutions, is not only oriented towards economics or tourism but also principles of welfare and ethics. He assured that he will continue to encourage all conservation institutions, both in Bali and other regions, to transform towards a more educational and interactive ecotourism model. Raja Juli also wants every conservation institution to respect the natural behaviour of animals. “The government is also open to facilitating this transition process to still provide economic benefits for the community without sacrificing animal welfare,” he added.