REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BENGKULU -- A group of 47 Sumatran Elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus) reportedly got isolated in the Air Rami Production Forest in Mukomuko District, Bengkulu Province, following rampant encroachment of their natural habitat, an official noted here, Tuesday. "Being isolated means that those elephants could not return to Taman Wisata Alam (TWA) Seblat as their migratory route has been encroached upon by palm oil plantations," Coordinator of Forest Ecosystem Control of the Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA) of Bengkulu-Lampung Said Jauhari stated here on Tuesday.

The TWA Seblat and several production forests, such as Air Rami, Air Teramang, and Air Ipuh, have become the natural habitats of the Sumatran elephants in Bengkulu Province.

Only TWA Seblat comes under the authority of BKSDA Bengkulu-Lampung. The three production forests are under the authority of the Forest Management Unit of the Forestry and Environment Office of Bengkulu Province.

However, fragmentation of the forest due to widespread encroachment has isolated these elephants in a particular area. The elephants are unable to venture into other areas since their natural routes have been disrupted, Jauhari explained.

The first report on the isolated elephants was received in March 2016. The local authority of the national park has estimated that these elephants were still isolated in the production forest.

The 47 elephants belong to two larger groups that roam the Mukomuko District in North Bengkulu Province. Jauhari emphasized that the local authority should take firm action to counter encroachments into the elephant's natural habitat to preserve the existence of Indonesia's native elephant species.

By offering the right habitat, the population of these critically endangered species will increase and prevent them from becoming extinct. 

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