The move is part of the armed forces’ support role for local governments, said Major General Kristomei Sianturi, commander of the Military Regional Command XXI/Radin Inten, in a statement issued in Bandar Lampung on Monday.
He said soldiers from the Labuhan Ratu Territorial Development Infantry Battalion were assigned to assist residents in driving away wild elephants and maintaining security in villages surrounding Way Kambas National Park.
“This step is crucial because human-elephant conflict in the area has persisted for decades, often causing losses through damaged farmland and public facilities, and in some cases resulting in fatalities,” Kristomei said.
East Lampung District Head Ela Siti Nuryamah said cross-sector coordination was essential to ensuring safety for communities living alongside conservation areas that are home to protected wildlife.
“Beyond infrastructure development, the involvement of the military is needed to maintain stability and reduce threats from wild elephants entering residential areas,” Ela said.
She said construction of a boundary fence was a long-term solution to keep elephants within their natural habitat while allowing residents of buffer villages to carry out daily activities without constant fear.
“We hope the permanent fence will become a lasting solution to the elephant-human conflict in East Lampung,” Ela said, referring to repeated incidents involving crop damage and village disruptions.
The central government and Lampung provincial authorities have agreed on an integrated plan, including construction of a permanent fence stretching about 60 to 70 kilometres along the park’s boundary.
The project is scheduled to begin in 2026 and is currently in the survey stage, to be carried out gradually with attention to environmental impact, animal safety, and effective protection for residents, officials said.
The Indonesian government has listed Sumatran elephants among the critically endangered mammals in the country.
As per figures published on the official website of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the population of Sumatran elephants is estimated to be about 2,400–2,800 individuals.
The world’s leading organization on wildlife conservation and endangered species has said that ivory can still be found in markets around Africa and Asia, as well as in the United States and Europe.
The WWF has noted that poaching for the illegal ivory trade remains a serious threat to the lives of wild elephants in several countries.
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Translator: Dian H, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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