29 Sep
2006 - Jakarta, Indonesia - WWF calls for immediate
implementation of a decree issued by Indonesia’s
Minister of Forestry that would establish Sumatra’s
Riau Province as a center of elephant conservation.
This follows the discovery of
yet another four elephant carcasses in Riau province
of Sumatra last week, most likely the latest victims
of the ever escalating human-elephant conflict
there. WWF is prepared to facilitate and provide
assistance for the implementation of the decree
on the ground.
The decree includes point of
actions that, if implemented properly, can address
the root causes of human-elephant conflict in
Riau. They include a stop to the conversion of
natural forest for any purposes; evaluation of
non-forestry uses of natural forest areas; protection
of the remaining elephant herds, establishment
of corridors with suitable elephant habitat between
Tesso Nilo National Park, Rimbang Baling Wildlife
Sanctuary and Bukit Tigapuluh National Park; and
adoption and immediate implementation of a professional
human-elephant conflict mitigation protocol.
“WWF welcomes the issuance of
this decree“, said Nazir Foead, Policy and Corporate
Engagement Director of WWF-Indonesia. “A Government
policy that stops the conversion of the remaining
natural forest and mitigates human elephant conflict
is the only remedy to change the devastating current
situation in Riau”.
Riau has the lowest percentage of protected conservation
forests in Sumatra from?(13% versus 85% in Aceh
for example) and lost 57 percent of its forests
6.4 million hectares to 2.7 million hectares –
over the past 23 years.
The loss of forest habitat has
resulted in escalating human-elephant conflict
in the province that is claiming lives of both
people and elephants.
Last week, villagers in Segati,
a village next to the proposed expansion of Tesso
Nilo National Park, reported the findings of four
elephant carcasses. The first carcass, most likely
a female, was found on September 20, 2006 in the
PT Siak Raya Timber timber concession. Investigators
found materials strongly suspected to be poison
near the carcass. The other three carcasses were
found not far from each other on 21 September
2006, in the PT. Nusa Wana Raya plantation.
WWF calls for the immediate
declaration of the proposed Tesso Nilo and Bukit
Tiga Puluh National Park expansions to protect
some of the last remaining flat lowland forests
in the area, and boost protection from poaching,
encroachment, and forest fires.
WWF also calls for the participation
of all parties, particularly the companies who
operate in the buffer zones of Tesso Nilo and
Bukit Tigapuluh National Park, to finance and
implement Human-Elephant Conflict Mitigation in
the area.
Desmarita Murni, Species Communications
Officer, WWF Indonesia
