Jambi BKSDA collaborates on action plan to restore connectivity for Sumatran elephants

There are approximately 90 to 129 individual elephants currently living in a fragmented habitat. Kota Jambi (ANTARA) - The Jambi Nature Conservancy Agency (BKSDA Jambi) is collaborating with several parties on an action plan to restore habitat connectivity for the conservation of Sumatran elephants in the Bukit Tigapuluh Landscape. The Head of BKSDA Jambi, Himawan Sasongko, in Jambi City, on Thursday, said that strategic efforts to save the Sumatran elephant as a flagship species on Sumatra require multi-stakeholder involvement. The collaboration includes APP Group and Proforest, as well as other parties such as WWF Indonesia, KKI WARSI, local government, forestry stakeholders, and conservation partners. The collaboration is aimed at ensuring an integrated, science-based approach oriented toward long-term sustainability. He said this will involve opening a migration corridor from Tanjung Jabung Barat to Tebo Regency, in addition to efforts to open elephant migration corridors from other land-use areas (APL) to forest areas in Tebo Regency. This condition highlights the need for more integrated habitat connectivity management to maintain the availability of elephant habitat and reduce potential human-elephant interactions. Opening the blockages in migration corridors is expected to restore connectivity among habitats, minimise conflict risks, and support improvements in the governance of the Bukit Tigapuluh landscape. With better landscape governance, ecological balance and the interests of all parties can proceed in harmony. This initiative is part of a joint commitment to preserve Sumatra’s biodiversity while strengthening sustainable landscape governance. The parties are optimistic that through constructive synergy the elephant migration corridors can be restored and the viability of this keystone species can be safeguarded for future generations.