Achieve Coexistence Between Local Communities and Wild Elephants

Partner Snapshot

The Challenge

The Padang Sugihan Landscape on the east coast of southern Sumatra spans approximately 700,000 hectares of peat swamp that has faced recurring forest fires since 1997. This critical habitat supports a Sumatran elephant herd of 100-120 individuals, representing 5-10% of the total wild elephant population remaining in Sumatra. With this population size, the Padang Sugihan elephant herd is one of the few Sumatran elephant populations with a realistic chance of long-term survival.

Since 1982, the Indonesian Government's transmigration program has gradually relocated people from Java to this area. The landscape has since transformed into a mosaic of community settlements, agricultural lands, industrial forest plantations, and oil palm estates, alongside a small conservation area in the western portion. As economic development expands through forestry and palm oil industries, combined with population growth driving increased demand for agricultural land, negative interactions between humans and wild elephants have escalated dramatically over the past decade.

Wild elephants increasingly enter village areas, destroying rice fields and agricultural crops, damaging homes, and tragically causing human fatalities. If this situation continues unchecked, conservation efforts for the critically endangered Sumatran elephant will become increasingly complex. Without community support, wild elephants will continue to be viewed as agricultural pests and enemies rather than as a vital part of the ecosystem deserving protection.

Urgent Solutions

Creating lasting coexistence between elephant conservation and economic development requires a holistic, comprehensive, and integrated approach. The Belantara Foundation proposes establishing conditions of mutual respect that allow harmonious coexistence in the Padang Sugihan Landscape while improving community livelihoods sustainably.

To achieve long-term conservation success, the following urgent activities are essential:

• Community Capacity Building: Enhance the skills and equipment of community-based conflict mitigation teams already established in several villages.
• Industry Collaboration: Work with forestry and palm oil plantation concessions to create elephant-friendly management practices.
• Stakeholder Awareness: Educate all landscape stakeholders about the importance of coexistence between industrial sectors, communities, and wild elephants.
• Environmental Education: Provide education programs for local communities, especially early childhood learners, about the ecological benefits of wild elephants.
• Alternative Livelihoods: Develop agricultural commodities with high economic value that elephants naturally avoid, reducing crop-raiding incidents.

Why Your Donation Matters

Your donation is crucial to securing the long-term survival of this critically endangered Sumatran elephant population living in an increasingly human-dominated landscape. With 100-120 individuals now fragmented into smaller groups, these elephants face unprecedented challenges that require immediate intervention.

The $100,000 fundraising goal will enable the Belantara Foundation to implement comprehensive conservation activities that address both elephant protection and community needs. Your support will fund conflict mitigation teams equipped with the tools and training needed to safely manage elephant encounters. It will facilitate partnerships with industrial concessions to create wildlife corridors and safe foraging areas, reducing elephants' need to enter agricultural lands.

Beyond immediate conflict reduction, your contribution will support long-term solutions through education programs that foster appreciation for elephants among the next generation. By developing alternative crop systems that provide economic benefits without attracting elephants, communities can thrive alongside wildlife. This innovative approach transforms the narrative from conflict to coexistence, ensuring that the Padang Sugihan elephant herd not only survives but becomes a source of pride and sustainable prosperity for local communities.

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