Belantara Foundation and Conservation Allies are moving to stabilize a key elephant population in South Sumatrawhile supporting national conservation goals and transparent, on-the-ground delivery.
ABU DHABI — Belantara Foundation has signed a collaboration charter with U.S.-based nonprofit Conservation Allies to strengthen conservation of Critically Endangered Sumatran elephants through the Living in Harmony program in the Sugihan–Simpang Heran landscape, Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI), South Sumatra. The signing took place at the Asia Pavilion during the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025.
RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE GOALS
The ceremony was witnessed by Prof. Dr. Satyawan Pudyatmoko, Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE), Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry, and Satrio Wicaksono, IUCN Asia Regional Coordinator for Forests and Dryland Ecosystems.
What the Partnership Will Do
Belantara’s Executive Director Dr. Dolly Priatna said the collaboration aims to strengthen coexistence between people and wild elephants sharing the same landscape. Conservation Allies’ commitment includes grant support and public fundraising in the United States for the next two years to fund Sumatran elephant conservation in Sugihan–Simpang Heran.
The Sugihan–Simpang Heran landscape is estimated to be home to 100–120 wild elephants, increasingly pressured by overlapping elephant ranges with farmland and plantations.
On-the-Ground Measures: From Conflict Mitigation to Habitat Care
Under Living in Harmony, Belantara is advancing:
- Human–elephant conflict mitigation initiatives;
- Environmental education;
- Habitat quality improvements, including salt lick construction and planting of natural forage.
Dr. Paul Salaman, President of Conservation Allies, said the collaboration reflects the urgency of coexistence-based conservation. He emphasized financial and technical support, noting that all funds raised will be managed transparently and directed to field activities.
Welcoming the initiative, Prof. Satyawan Pudyatmoko underscored that the Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) is Critically Endangered according to IUCN and legally protected in Indonesia. He said the program supports government efforts to transform human–elephant conflict into sustainable coexistence.
By pairing targeted funding with field-tested actions—conflict mitigation, education, and habitat enhancement—Belantara Foundation and Conservation Allies are moving to stabilize a key elephant population in South Sumatra while supporting national conservation goals and transparent, on-the-ground delivery.
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