“What is currently being carried out is, first, re-recording and re-counting the number of elephant individuals in the blocks,” Antoni told reporters after a meeting discussing the Peusangan Elephant Conservation Initiative (PECI) in Central Aceh, during a meeting held here on Thursday.
He explained that of the 90 thousand hectares of Industrial Plantation Forest (HTI) owned by President Prabowo Subianto, two blocks are home to elephant populations. The first block covers 21 thousand hectares, while the second spans around 14 thousand hectares.
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Through a collaboration between the Ministry of Forestry, the British Government, WWF-Indonesia, and the private sector to conserve the 20 thousand hectares of land donated by the president for the PECI program, efforts continue to be strengthened to protect existing elephant populations and prevent negative interactions with local communities.
PECI has already been working in the second block, which is inhabited by around 40 to 50 elephants. Meanwhile, the first block is home to around 27 individuals.
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“By using geothermal technology, in September we will have more accurate data on the number of elephants in both blocks,” Minister Antoni stated.
The government is also improving the habitat in the second block, starting with food enrichment to ensure that elephant groups do not leave the area and enter residential zones in search of food.
Community involvement and empowerment are also continuously promoted as part of efforts to reduce negative interactions with the endangered species. The program is expected to succeed by decreasing the frequency of human-elephant conflicts.
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Translator: Prisca, Kenzu
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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