Minister of Forestry and Norwegian Ambassador Visit Way Kambas, Strengthen Protection of Sumatran Elephants

Kaja Glomm then confirmed the direction of the policy to the Minister of Forestry.

"That's the ambition, to unchain?" asked Kaja, who wanted to confirm whether the ultimate goal was to free the elephant from its chains.

"Yes," answered King Juli.

The conversation showed the direction of improving elephant management in Way Kambas. The government wants to build a system that allows improving the welfare of elephants without neglecting the safety of the public, staff or animals.

However, the transition towards reducing chain use must be gradual. The implementation takes into account the readiness of infrastructure, behavior and adaptability of each individual elephant, as well as the effectiveness of the area security system.

Conservation Must Be Interconnected

The visit emphasized that Way Kambas conservation requires an interconnected approach.

Controlling forest and land fires is needed to protect habitat from damage. Mitigating human and elephant interactions is needed to create a safe living space. Meanwhile, the development of science and technology opens up new opportunities to save species with increasingly limited populations, including the Sumatran Rhino.

Collaboration with various parties, including international partners, is an important part of strengthening biodiversity protection in Way Kambas National Park.