Mines Found on Sumatran Elephant Route, Ministry of Forestry Reclaims 300 Hectares of Seblat Forest

BENGKULU, GARISBUMI.com – The Ministry of Forestry has regained control of around 300 hectares of the Teramang Production Forest area in Mukomuko Regency, Bengkulu, which is indicated to have been encroached upon. The operation also found mines and materials suspected of containing dangerous chemicals on the Sumatran Elephant route.

Teramang Production Forest is part of the Seblat Landscape which is an important corridor for Sumatran Elephants and a number of other protected wildlife.

The joint operation, which took place from 10–16 September 2026, also destroyed 627 oil palm trunks, demolished 22 work huts, and installed 11 prohibition boards in the forest area.

Joint teams also clear mines and suspected hazardous materials to reduce risks to wildlife. These findings are still being investigated to reveal the party who installed it and the purpose of its use.

The Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Forestry, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, said that securing the Seblat Landscape should not stop at controlling operations.

"It is not enough to put order in the Seblat. Areas that have been re-controlled must be protected so that they are not encroached again, parties who take advantage of illegal control of the area must be traced, and damaged habitat must be restored," said Dwi in his statement in Bengkulu, Thursday, September 24 2026.

According to him, Sumatran elephants need safe roaming space, not forest areas which continue to be fragmented due to the opening of illegal plantations and various other threats.