# Why are Sumatran elephants endangered? Threats, law and ride ban

> Why Sumatran elephants are Critically Endangered: 2026 numbers, conflict, ivory, poison, training centres, Indonesia's ride ban, the law and how to help.

Source: https://panduanhewan.org/en/animal-causes/why-are-sumatran-elephants-endangered/ · Updated 1 October 2026 · English · Bahasa Indonesia: https://panduanhewan.org/id/isu-satwa/gajah-sumatera-terancam-punah/
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## Quick answer

Sumatran elephants are Critically Endangered because their forest habitat keeps shrinking and breaking apart, and because of conflict with people, poaching for ivory, poison and snares. The government's 2026–2036 action plan estimates roughly 1,320–1,635 left in the wild, spread across 21 pockets, far below the 2,400–2,800 estimated in 2007. Elephants are protected by law (row 51 of the P.106/2018 annex), and since 18 December 2025 elephant rides have been stopped at every licensed conservation institution, zoos included.

- **IUCN status, Sumatran elephant:** Critically Endangered ([Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf))
- **IUCN status, Bornean elephant:** Endangered since its 2024 assessment; about 1,000 in the wild ([Bornean elephant Endangered – IUCN Red List (IUCN press release, 27 June 2024)](https://iucn.org/press-release/202406/bornean-elephant-endangered-iucn-red-list))
- **Population estimate, 2026:** Sumatran elephant 1,320–1,635; Bornean elephant in Indonesia 5–13 (2026–2036 action plan) ([Only 1,325–1,648 wild elephants left in Indonesia, government says (25 Aug 2026)](https://news.mongabay.com/2026/08/only-1325-1648-wild-elephants-left-in-indonesia-government-says/))
- **Elephant population pockets:** 21 left, down from about 42 ([Menhut: SRAK gajah harus jadi aksi nyata, bukan sekadar dokumen (ANTARA, Aug 2026)](https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5691756/menhut-srak-gajah-harus-jadi-aksi-nyata-bukan-sekadar-dokumen))
- **Habitat inside conservation forest:** Only 23.20% of about 5.43 million hectares of Sumatran elephant habitat ([Berapa populasi gajah sumatera? Estimasi terbaru sekitar 1.365–1.719 individu (18 Sep 2026)](https://mongabay.co.id/2026/09/18/berapa-populasi-gajah-sumatera-estimasi-terbaru-sekitar-1-365-1-719-individu/))
- **Legal protection:** Elephas maximus is listed in the annex of Regulation P.106/2018, row 51 ([Permen LHK P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 tentang Jenis Tumbuhan dan Satwa yang Dilindungi (lampiran)](https://jdih.kehutanan.go.id/new2/uploads/files/P_106_2018_JENIS_TSL_menlhk_07252019152513.pdf))
- **Penalty for individuals:** Up to 15 years in prison and/or a fine of up to Rp5 billion (Art. 40A(1), Law 32/2024, as adjusted by Law 1/2026) ([UU No. 1 Tahun 2026 tentang Penyesuaian Pidana (JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/337869/uu-no-1-tahun-2026))
- **Elephant rides:** Stopped nationwide by Directorate-General circular SE.6/2025 (18 December 2025) ([Kemenhut resmi larang atraksi gajah tunggang secara nasional (ANTARA, 6 Feb 2026)](https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5401054/kemenhut-resmi-larang-atraksi-gajah-tunggang-secara-nasional))
- **CITES:** Appendix I since 1 July 1975 ([CITES Species+: Elephas maximus, CITES listing (API record)](https://speciesplus.net/api/v1/taxon_concepts/5690?locale=en))

## Why are Sumatran elephants endangered?

The IUCN Red List classes the Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) as Critically Endangered. The Asian elephant as a whole is Endangered (criterion A2c) in the assessment published in 2020.

According to that IUCN assessment, the main challenges in almost every elephant range country are habitat loss and fragmentation, human–elephant conflict, and poaching and illegal trade. In Sumatra, more than 69% of potential elephant habitat was lost within a single elephant generation, about 25 years.

The three threats feed one another. Sumatran elephants prefer lowland forest, while fires, logging, plantations, timber estates, settlements and roads keep breaking up their habitat. As a result, conflict with people grows every year and can end in retaliatory killing, snares set for other animals maim elephants, and tusked bulls are still hunted.

Evidence: [Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf) · [Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf) · [Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf) · [Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf) · [Hutadjulu & Janis (2002) The care and management of domesticated elephants in Sumatra, Indonesia, in: Giants on our hands (FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific)](https://www.fao.org/4/ad031e/ad031e0a.htm) · [Hutadjulu & Janis (2002) The care and management of domesticated elephants in Sumatra, Indonesia, in: Giants on our hands (FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific)](https://www.fao.org/4/ad031e/ad031e0a.htm) · [Hutadjulu & Janis (2002) The care and management of domesticated elephants in Sumatra, Indonesia, in: Giants on our hands (FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific)](https://www.fao.org/4/ad031e/ad031e0a.htm) · [Gunaryadi, Sugiyo & Hedges (2017) Community-based human–elephant conflict mitigation, PLoS ONE 12(5): e0173742](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173742) · [Gajah 'Erin' yang belalainya terpotong bisa beradaptasi (ANTARA)](https://megapolitan.antaranews.com/berita/38794/gajah-erin-yang-belalainya-terpotong-bisa-beradaptasi) · [Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf)

## How many Sumatran elephants are left in 2026?

The government's Strategy and Action Plan for Sumatran and Bornean Elephant Conservation 2026–2036, launched on 12 August 2026, estimates 1,320–1,635 Sumatran elephants in the wild. Reported figures vary: one outlet gives 1,365–1,719, and Forestry Ministry data for July 2026 quoted by the state news agency ANTARA put it at about 1,100. All are far below the 2,400–2,800 estimated in 2007.

The elephants now live in 21 population pockets, down from about 42. Four of those 21 pockets hold fewer than 10 animals, groups at high risk of disappearing.

In Indonesia, Bornean elephants survive in a single landscape in Nunukan Regency, North Kalimantan. The 2026–2036 plan estimates 5–13 animals there, consistent with an April 2025 report of 8–13 based on the latest survey. Most Bornean elephants, about 1,000, live in Sabah, Malaysia, and the IUCN has assessed the subspecies as Endangered since 2024.

Evidence: [Sambut Hari Gajah Sedunia, Menhut Resmikan Strategi Konservasi Gajah Sumatra dan Kalimantan 2026–2036 (Kemenhut, 12 Aug 2026)](https://www.kehutanan.go.id/news/sambut-hari-gajah-sedunia-menhut-resmikan-strategi-konservasi-gajah-sumatra-dan-kalimantan-2026-2036) · [Only 1,325–1,648 wild elephants left in Indonesia, government says (25 Aug 2026)](https://news.mongabay.com/2026/08/only-1325-1648-wild-elephants-left-in-indonesia-government-says/) · [Berapa populasi gajah sumatera? Estimasi terbaru sekitar 1.365–1.719 individu (18 Sep 2026)](https://mongabay.co.id/2026/09/18/berapa-populasi-gajah-sumatera-estimasi-terbaru-sekitar-1-365-1-719-individu/) · [World Elephant Day 2026: Indonesia's fight to save its elephants (ANTARA English)](https://en.antaranews.com/news/426777/world-elephant-day-2026-indonesias-fight-to-save-its-elephants) · [World Elephant Day 2026: Indonesia's fight to save its elephants (ANTARA English)](https://en.antaranews.com/news/426777/world-elephant-day-2026-indonesias-fight-to-save-its-elephants) · [Menhut: SRAK gajah harus jadi aksi nyata, bukan sekadar dokumen (ANTARA, Aug 2026)](https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5691756/menhut-srak-gajah-harus-jadi-aksi-nyata-bukan-sekadar-dokumen) · [Berapa populasi gajah sumatera? Estimasi terbaru sekitar 1.365–1.719 individu (18 Sep 2026)](https://mongabay.co.id/2026/09/18/berapa-populasi-gajah-sumatera-estimasi-terbaru-sekitar-1-365-1-719-individu/) · [Inpres No. 8 Tahun 2026 tentang Penyelamatan Populasi dan Habitat Gajah Sumatera dan Gajah Kalimantan (JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/351619/inpres-no-8-tahun-2026) · [Gajah mini tinggal 13 di Nunukan (detikKalimantan, 25 Apr 2025)](https://www.detik.com/kalimantan/kalimantan-lestari/d-7884465/gajah-mini-tinggal-13-di-nunukan-dihormati-suku-dayak-diburu-orang-jahat) · [Only 1,325–1,648 wild elephants left in Indonesia, government says (25 Aug 2026)](https://news.mongabay.com/2026/08/only-1325-1648-wild-elephants-left-in-indonesia-government-says/) · [Bornean elephant Endangered – IUCN Red List (IUCN press release, 27 June 2024)](https://iucn.org/press-release/202406/bornean-elephant-endangered-iucn-red-list)

## Where is Sumatran elephant habitat, and why is it disappearing?

According to the 2026–2036 plan, Sumatran elephant habitat covers about 5.43 million hectares, but only 23.20% lies inside conservation forest; the rest is production forest, protection forest and land zoned for other uses. A 2023 modelling study likewise found 79% of suitable elephant habitat in Sumatra outside protected areas.

Many remaining forest blocks are smaller than 250 km², too small to hold a viable elephant population. A 2009 survey of nine forest blocks in Riau found that six herds recorded only two years earlier had gone, and in Lampung only three of 12 populations still existed by 2003. The authors of the 2023 study therefore urge central and local government to build elephant habitat maps into land-use planning.

Presidential Instruction No. 8 of 2026, issued on 15 June 2026, designates 21 Sumatran and one Bornean elephant landscape for rescue and asks for that habitat to be written into spatial plans. It orders the Forestry Minister to stop new forest-use permits, and the Agriculture Minister to stop new plantation permits, in elephant habitat. It also calls the elephant an umbrella species whose protection helps keep the ecosystems of Sumatra and Borneo in balance.

Evidence: [Berapa populasi gajah sumatera? Estimasi terbaru sekitar 1.365–1.719 individu (18 Sep 2026)](https://mongabay.co.id/2026/09/18/berapa-populasi-gajah-sumatera-estimasi-terbaru-sekitar-1-365-1-719-individu/) · [Berapa populasi gajah sumatera? Estimasi terbaru sekitar 1.365–1.719 individu (18 Sep 2026)](https://mongabay.co.id/2026/09/18/berapa-populasi-gajah-sumatera-estimasi-terbaru-sekitar-1-365-1-719-individu/) · [Beyond protected areas: the importance of mixed-use landscapes for the conservation of Sumatran elephants (Ecology and Evolution, 2023)](https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10560) · [Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf) · [Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf) · [Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf) · [Inpres No. 8 Tahun 2026 tentang Penyelamatan Populasi dan Habitat Gajah Sumatera dan Gajah Kalimantan (JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/351619/inpres-no-8-tahun-2026) · [Inpres No. 8 Tahun 2026 tentang Penyelamatan Populasi dan Habitat Gajah Sumatera dan Gajah Kalimantan (JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/351619/inpres-no-8-tahun-2026) · [Instruksi Presiden Nomor 8 Tahun 2026 (teks, 15 Juni 2026)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/415412/Inpres%20Nomor%208%20Tahun%202026.pdf) · [Instruksi Presiden Nomor 8 Tahun 2026 (teks, 15 Juni 2026)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/415412/Inpres%20Nomor%208%20Tahun%202026.pdf) · [Instruksi Presiden Nomor 8 Tahun 2026 (teks, 15 Juni 2026)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/415412/Inpres%20Nomor%208%20Tahun%202026.pdf) · [Beyond protected areas: the importance of mixed-use landscapes for the conservation of Sumatran elephants (Ecology and Evolution, 2023)](https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10560) · [Inpres No. 8 Tahun 2026 tentang Penyelamatan Populasi dan Habitat Gajah Sumatera dan Gajah Kalimantan (JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/351619/inpres-no-8-tahun-2026)

## Human–elephant conflict in Sumatra: why it happens and what works

As their habitat shrinks, elephants move into farms more often. Across Asia, human–elephant conflict costs more than 600 human and 450 elephant lives a year. In Aceh, the conservation agency (BKSDA) recorded 106–149 conflict cases a year in 2019–2024 and 32 in 2026 up to late August. It also recorded 25 elephant deaths from 2022 to August 2026.

Coordinated crop guarding works. In 2005–2007 trials in two villages beside Way Kambas National Park, Lampung, guards with watchtowers, spotlights and radios, plus tripwire sirens and chilli-smeared fences at some sites, kept elephants out of fields in 80–91% of raids. Farmers in 16 villages then adopted the method on their own and repelled 73.9% of raids.

In November 2025, for example, the Riau conservation agency fitted a GPS collar to the lead female of a herd in Tesso Nilo so the group's movements can be tracked in real time, as an early-warning system. In Aceh, Conservation Response Units (CRUs), set up from 2008, work to defuse conflict, educate residents and patrol routinely, using trained elephants, each with its own mahout.

Moving 'problem' elephants is no shortcut: a GPS-tracking study in Sri Lanka found that translocation spread and intensified conflict and raised elephant deaths, and IUCN guidelines call it far from a panacea. In Aceh, Qanun No. 11 of 2019 allows wildlife conflict to be declared an extraordinary disaster, with post-conflict recovery through loss assessment, support and compensation.

Evidence: [Hutadjulu & Janis (2002) The care and management of domesticated elephants in Sumatra, Indonesia, in: Giants on our hands (FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific)](https://www.fao.org/4/ad031e/ad031e0a.htm) · [Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf) · [Berapa populasi gajah sumatera? Estimasi terbaru sekitar 1.365–1.719 individu (18 Sep 2026)](https://mongabay.co.id/2026/09/18/berapa-populasi-gajah-sumatera-estimasi-terbaru-sekitar-1-365-1-719-individu/) · [Berapa populasi gajah sumatera? Estimasi terbaru sekitar 1.365–1.719 individu (18 Sep 2026)](https://mongabay.co.id/2026/09/18/berapa-populasi-gajah-sumatera-estimasi-terbaru-sekitar-1-365-1-719-individu/) · [Berapa populasi gajah sumatera? Estimasi terbaru sekitar 1.365–1.719 individu (18 Sep 2026)](https://mongabay.co.id/2026/09/18/berapa-populasi-gajah-sumatera-estimasi-terbaru-sekitar-1-365-1-719-individu/) · [Gunaryadi, Sugiyo & Hedges (2017) Community-based human–elephant conflict mitigation, PLoS ONE 12(5): e0173742](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173742) · [Gunaryadi, Sugiyo & Hedges (2017) Community-based human–elephant conflict mitigation, PLoS ONE 12(5): e0173742](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173742) · [Gunaryadi, Sugiyo & Hedges (2017) Community-based human–elephant conflict mitigation, PLoS ONE 12(5): e0173742](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173742) · [Gunaryadi, Sugiyo & Hedges (2017) Community-based human–elephant conflict mitigation, PLoS ONE 12(5): e0173742](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173742) · [Cegah konflik manusia dan gajah, BBKSDA Riau gunakan teknologi GPS collar (InfoPublik, Nov 2025)](https://infopublik.id/kategori/nusantara/946546/cegah-konflik-manusia-dan-gajah-bbksda-riau-gunakan-teknologi-gps-collar) · [Cegah konflik manusia dan gajah, BBKSDA Riau gunakan teknologi GPS collar (InfoPublik, Nov 2025)](https://infopublik.id/kategori/nusantara/946546/cegah-konflik-manusia-dan-gajah-bbksda-riau-gunakan-teknologi-gps-collar) · [CRU dan konflik manusia dengan gajah sumatera (4 Jan 2023)](https://mongabay.co.id/2023/01/04/cru-dan-konflik-manusia-dengan-gajah-sumatera/) · [CRU dan konflik manusia dengan gajah sumatera (4 Jan 2023)](https://mongabay.co.id/2023/01/04/cru-dan-konflik-manusia-dengan-gajah-sumatera/) · [Sayuti et al. (2026) Body condition and temperature–humidity index are associated with cortisol levels as indicators of physiological stress in Sumatran elephants, Veterinary Medicine International](https://doi.org/10.1155/vmi/1184315) · [Fernando et al. (2012) Problem-elephant translocation: translocating the problem and the elephant? PLoS ONE 7(12): e50917](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0050917) · [IUCN SSC Guidelines on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence, first edition (IUCN, 2023)](https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2023-009-En.pdf) · [Qanun Aceh Nomor 11 Tahun 2019 tentang Pengelolaan Satwa Liar (teks, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/286443/Qanun%20No%2011%20Thn%202019%20Ttg%20Pengelolaan%20Satwa%20Liar.pdf) · [Qanun Aceh Nomor 11 Tahun 2019 tentang Pengelolaan Satwa Liar (teks, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/286443/Qanun%20No%2011%20Thn%202019%20Ttg%20Pengelolaan%20Satwa%20Liar.pdf) · [Gunaryadi, Sugiyo & Hedges (2017) Community-based human–elephant conflict mitigation, PLoS ONE 12(5): e0173742](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173742) · [Gunaryadi, Sugiyo & Hedges (2017) Community-based human–elephant conflict mitigation, PLoS ONE 12(5): e0173742](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173742) · [Cegah konflik manusia dan gajah, BBKSDA Riau gunakan teknologi GPS collar (InfoPublik, Nov 2025)](https://infopublik.id/kategori/nusantara/946546/cegah-konflik-manusia-dan-gajah-bbksda-riau-gunakan-teknologi-gps-collar) · [Cegah konflik manusia dan gajah, BBKSDA Riau gunakan teknologi GPS collar (InfoPublik, Nov 2025)](https://infopublik.id/kategori/nusantara/946546/cegah-konflik-manusia-dan-gajah-bbksda-riau-gunakan-teknologi-gps-collar)

## Why are Sumatran elephants still poached for ivory?

Among Asian elephants, all females and some males have no tusks, so poachers target tusked bulls. The IUCN notes that very few tuskers remain in the wild in Asia outside a handful of sites, including Sumatra and Borneo, and that poaching could cut their numbers further. Asian elephants are also hunted for meat and skin.

Sumatran ivory still ends up as handicrafts such as cigarette pipes. On 2 February 2026 a 40-year-old bull was found dead and headless in Pelalawan, Riau, with gunshot trauma. Riau police named 15 suspects, from the shooter to the buyers, and said the ivory was to be made into cigarette pipes. The same group is suspected of operating at nine locations in 2024–2026, and the suspects were charged under Article 40A(1) of Law 32/2024.

On 5 February 2025 the Palembang District Court jailed two defendants for four years and fined them Rp500 million for selling rhino horn and ivory cigarette pipes without a permit. In April 2026 a cyber patrol by the Forestry Law Enforcement Directorate (Gakkum) traced a Facebook post to an art shop in Tampaksiring, Gianyar, Bali, and seized carvings and crafts suspected to be ivory; prosecutors have declared the case file complete.

The Forestry Ministry stresses that parts of protected animals may not be traded even once turned into carvings, ornaments or collectibles. As long as such objects are sought after, poaching and the illegal trade will keep a market.

Evidence: [Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf) · [Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf) · [Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf) · [Kasus pembunuhan gajah tanpa kepala di Riau, 15 orang jadi tersangka (Kompas.com, 3 Mar 2026)](https://lestari.kompas.com/read/2026/03/03/153958186/kasus-pembunuhan-gajah-tanpa-kepala-di-riau-15-orang-jadi-tersangka?page=all) · [Kasus pembunuhan gajah tanpa kepala di Riau, 15 orang jadi tersangka (Kompas.com, 3 Mar 2026)](https://lestari.kompas.com/read/2026/03/03/153958186/kasus-pembunuhan-gajah-tanpa-kepala-di-riau-15-orang-jadi-tersangka?page=all) · [Kasus pembunuhan gajah tanpa kepala di Riau, 15 orang jadi tersangka (Kompas.com, 3 Mar 2026)](https://lestari.kompas.com/read/2026/03/03/153958186/kasus-pembunuhan-gajah-tanpa-kepala-di-riau-15-orang-jadi-tersangka?page=all) · [Kasus pembunuhan gajah tanpa kepala di Riau, 15 orang jadi tersangka (Kompas.com, 3 Mar 2026)](https://lestari.kompas.com/read/2026/03/03/153958186/kasus-pembunuhan-gajah-tanpa-kepala-di-riau-15-orang-jadi-tersangka?page=all) · [Kasus pembunuhan gajah tanpa kepala di Riau, 15 orang jadi tersangka (Kompas.com, 3 Mar 2026)](https://lestari.kompas.com/read/2026/03/03/153958186/kasus-pembunuhan-gajah-tanpa-kepala-di-riau-15-orang-jadi-tersangka?page=all) · [Kasus pembunuhan gajah tanpa kepala di Riau, 15 orang jadi tersangka (Kompas.com, 3 Mar 2026)](https://lestari.kompas.com/read/2026/03/03/153958186/kasus-pembunuhan-gajah-tanpa-kepala-di-riau-15-orang-jadi-tersangka?page=all) · [2 terdakwa penjual cula badak dan gading gajah divonis 4 tahun penjara (detikSumbagsel, 5 Feb 2025)](https://www.detik.com/sumbagsel/hukum-dan-kriminal/d-7764938/2-terdakwa-penjual-cula-badak-dan-gading-gajah-divonis-4-tahun-penjara) · [2 terdakwa penjual cula badak dan gading gajah divonis 4 tahun penjara (detikSumbagsel, 5 Feb 2025)](https://www.detik.com/sumbagsel/hukum-dan-kriminal/d-7764938/2-terdakwa-penjual-cula-badak-dan-gading-gajah-divonis-4-tahun-penjara) · [2 terdakwa penjual cula badak dan gading gajah divonis 4 tahun penjara (detikSumbagsel, 5 Feb 2025)](https://www.detik.com/sumbagsel/hukum-dan-kriminal/d-7764938/2-terdakwa-penjual-cula-badak-dan-gading-gajah-divonis-4-tahun-penjara) · [Gakkum Kehutanan ungkap jaringan perdagangan gading gajah di Bali melalui patroli siber (Kemenhut, 2 Jun 2026)](https://www.kehutanan.go.id/pers/gakkum-kehutanan-ungkap-jaringan-perdagangan-gading-gajah-di-bali-melalui-patroli-siber) · [Gakkum Kehutanan ungkap jaringan perdagangan gading gajah di Bali melalui patroli siber (Kemenhut, 2 Jun 2026)](https://www.kehutanan.go.id/pers/gakkum-kehutanan-ungkap-jaringan-perdagangan-gading-gajah-di-bali-melalui-patroli-siber) · [Gakkum Kehutanan ungkap jaringan perdagangan gading gajah di Bali melalui patroli siber (Kemenhut, 2 Jun 2026)](https://www.kehutanan.go.id/pers/gakkum-kehutanan-ungkap-jaringan-perdagangan-gading-gajah-di-bali-melalui-patroli-siber) · [Gakkum Kehutanan ungkap jaringan perdagangan gading gajah di Bali melalui patroli siber (Kemenhut, 2 Jun 2026)](https://www.kehutanan.go.id/pers/gakkum-kehutanan-ungkap-jaringan-perdagangan-gading-gajah-di-bali-melalui-patroli-siber) · [Gakkum Kehutanan ungkap jaringan perdagangan gading gajah di Bali melalui patroli siber (Kemenhut, 2 Jun 2026)](https://www.kehutanan.go.id/pers/gakkum-kehutanan-ungkap-jaringan-perdagangan-gading-gajah-di-bali-melalui-patroli-siber) · [Gakkum Kehutanan ungkap jaringan perdagangan gading gajah di Bali melalui patroli siber (Kemenhut, 2 Jun 2026)](https://www.kehutanan.go.id/pers/gakkum-kehutanan-ungkap-jaringan-perdagangan-gading-gajah-di-bali-melalui-patroli-siber)

## Why are elephants poisoned or caught in snares?

According to the IUCN, retaliatory killings are carried out with poison, electrocution and gunshots, and across much of South-East Asia they probably go unrecorded. Ivory poachers use poison too: on 10 January 2024, Rahman, a 46-year-old trained elephant in Tesso Nilo National Park, Riau, died after almost certainly being poisoned before his tusk was cut off. Two years later, whoever killed him had not been identified.

Snares set for other animals, such as deer or wild pigs, can also catch elephants, calves included. Erin, a calf found at Way Kambas on 23 June 2016, lost half her trunk to a poacher's snare, and without a whole trunk an elephant cannot eat or drink normally. In November 2021, a calf of about one year from Aceh Jaya died in care with its trunk almost severed by a snare.

National law forbids anyone to injure or kill a protected animal, and Aceh's Qanun No. 11 of 2019 explicitly bans snaring and poisoning protected wildlife and setting snares or laying poison that endangers it. The Aceh conservation agency urges residents not to set snares or poison that can kill wildlife.

Evidence: [Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf) · [Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf) · [Dua tahun kematian gajah latih Tesso Nilo 'Rahman', pembunuhnya belum terungkap (Katadata, 4 Mar 2026)](https://katadata.co.id/ekonomi-hijau/investasi-hijau/69a7ec4539760/dua-tahun-kematian-gajah-latih-tesso-nilo-rahman-pembunuhnya-belum-terungkap) · [4 Fakta Gajah Rahman yang Malang, Mati Diracun hingga Gadingnya Hilang (detikNews, 13 Jan 2024)](https://news.detik.com/berita/d-7140101/4-fakta-gajah-rahman-yang-malang-mati-diracun-hingga-gadingnya-hilang) · [4 Fakta Gajah Rahman yang Malang, Mati Diracun hingga Gadingnya Hilang (detikNews, 13 Jan 2024)](https://news.detik.com/berita/d-7140101/4-fakta-gajah-rahman-yang-malang-mati-diracun-hingga-gadingnya-hilang) · [Dua tahun kematian gajah latih Tesso Nilo 'Rahman', pembunuhnya belum terungkap (Katadata, 4 Mar 2026)](https://katadata.co.id/ekonomi-hijau/investasi-hijau/69a7ec4539760/dua-tahun-kematian-gajah-latih-tesso-nilo-rahman-pembunuhnya-belum-terungkap) · [Gajah 'Erin' yang belalainya terpotong bisa beradaptasi (ANTARA)](https://megapolitan.antaranews.com/berita/38794/gajah-erin-yang-belalainya-terpotong-bisa-beradaptasi) · [Gajah 'Erin' yang belalainya terpotong bisa beradaptasi (ANTARA, 13 Apr 2018)](https://megapolitan.antaranews.com/berita/38794/gajah-erin-yang-belalainya-terpotong-bisa-beradaptasi) · [Gajah 'Erin' yang belalainya terpotong bisa beradaptasi (ANTARA, 13 Apr 2018)](https://megapolitan.antaranews.com/berita/38794/gajah-erin-yang-belalainya-terpotong-bisa-beradaptasi) · [Gajah 'Erin' yang belalainya terpotong bisa beradaptasi (ANTARA)](https://megapolitan.antaranews.com/berita/38794/gajah-erin-yang-belalainya-terpotong-bisa-beradaptasi) · [Anak gajah Sumatera terjerat belalai di Aceh Jaya akhirnya mati (ANTARA, 16 Nov 2021)](https://manado.antaranews.com/berita/167861/anak-gajah-sumatera-terjerat-belalai-di-aceh-jaya-akhirnya-mati) · [Qanun Aceh Nomor 11 Tahun 2019 tentang Pengelolaan Satwa Liar (teks, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/286443/Qanun%20No%2011%20Thn%202019%20Ttg%20Pengelolaan%20Satwa%20Liar.pdf) · [Qanun Aceh Nomor 11 Tahun 2019 tentang Pengelolaan Satwa Liar (teks, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/286443/Qanun%20No%2011%20Thn%202019%20Ttg%20Pengelolaan%20Satwa%20Liar.pdf) · [BKSDA turunkan tim nekropsi bangkai gajah sumatra di Aceh Tamiang (ANTARA, 10 Aug 2026)](https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5687957/bksda-turunkan-tim-nekropsi-bangkai-gajah-sumatra-di-aceh-tamiang) · [UU No. 32 Tahun 2024 tentang Perubahan atas UU No. 5 Tahun 1990 (teks resmi, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/354517/UU%20Nomor%2032%20Tahun%202024.pdf)

## What are Indonesia's elephant training centres, and why are captive elephants chained?

From 1985 the government set up six Elephant Training Centres (Pusat Latihan Gajah, PLG) in Sumatra to resolve conflict: troublesome elephants were trained to work in forestry, farming and tourism. A 2002 paper published by the FAO judged this unsuccessful because demand for trained elephants was very low, even though from 1997/1998 some 50–55% of the national elephant conservation budget went on running the centres.

Today trained elephants do conservation work, for example elephants from the Minas centre in Riau that helped fit a GPS collar, or those serving in CRUs. A 2026 study of 20 elephants at six CRUs in Aceh found each had its own mahout and was tethered on a chain of about 20 metres while resting and grazing: movement is restricted, but food, water and shade stay within reach. Welfare research shows that chances to walk and socialise with other elephants matter for captive elephants.

Captive elephants are also vulnerable to disease. Up to a dozen captive-born Sumatran calves in camps have died of acute haemorrhagic disease; the first two confirmed cases were caused by the elephant herpesvirus EEHV1A. Tuberculosis occurs in captive and wild elephants, and the risk of elephant-to-human transmission rises with the length of close contact, so researchers recommend routine TB screening for elephants and their keepers.

Evidence: [Hutadjulu & Janis (2002) The care and management of domesticated elephants in Sumatra, Indonesia, in: Giants on our hands (FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific)](https://www.fao.org/4/ad031e/ad031e0a.htm) · [Hutadjulu & Janis (2002) The care and management of domesticated elephants in Sumatra, Indonesia, in: Giants on our hands (FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific)](https://www.fao.org/4/ad031e/ad031e0a.htm) · [Hutadjulu & Janis (2002) The care and management of domesticated elephants in Sumatra, Indonesia, in: Giants on our hands (FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific)](https://www.fao.org/4/ad031e/ad031e0a.htm) · [Hutadjulu & Janis (2002) The care and management of domesticated elephants in Sumatra, Indonesia, in: Giants on our hands (FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific)](https://www.fao.org/4/ad031e/ad031e0a.htm) · [Hutadjulu & Janis (2002) The care and management of domesticated elephants in Sumatra, Indonesia, in: Giants on our hands (FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific)](https://www.fao.org/4/ad031e/ad031e0a.htm) · [Cegah konflik manusia dan gajah, BBKSDA Riau gunakan teknologi GPS collar (InfoPublik, Nov 2025)](https://infopublik.id/kategori/nusantara/946546/cegah-konflik-manusia-dan-gajah-bbksda-riau-gunakan-teknologi-gps-collar) · [Sayuti et al. (2026) Body condition and temperature–humidity index are associated with cortisol levels as indicators of physiological stress in Sumatran elephants, Veterinary Medicine International](https://doi.org/10.1155/vmi/1184315) · [Sayuti et al. (2026) Body condition and temperature–humidity index are associated with cortisol levels as indicators of physiological stress in Sumatran elephants, Veterinary Medicine International](https://doi.org/10.1155/vmi/1184315) · [Sayuti et al. (2026) Body condition and temperature–humidity index are associated with cortisol levels as indicators of physiological stress in Sumatran elephants, Veterinary Medicine International](https://doi.org/10.1155/vmi/1184315) · [Bansiddhi et al. (2019) Management factors affecting adrenal glucocorticoid activity of tourist camp elephants in Thailand, PLoS ONE 14(10): e0221537](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221537) · [Bansiddhi et al. (2020) Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand, Animals 10(6): 919](https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10060919) · [Bansiddhi et al. (2020) Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand, Animals 10(6): 919](https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10060919) · [Stremme et al. (2021) Identification of two lethal cases of elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus haemorrhagic disease in Sumatran elephant calves in Indonesia, J Zoo Wildl Med (abstract, PubMed 33480579)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33480579/) · [Stremme et al. (2021) Identification of two lethal cases of elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus haemorrhagic disease in Sumatran elephant calves in Indonesia, J Zoo Wildl Med (abstract, PubMed 33480579)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33480579/) · [Understanding Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in elephants through a One Health approach: a systematic review (BMC Veterinary Research, 2022)](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-022-03356-8) · [Understanding Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in elephants through a One Health approach: a systematic review (BMC Veterinary Research, 2022)](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-022-03356-8) · [Understanding Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in elephants through a One Health approach: a systematic review (BMC Veterinary Research, 2022)](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-022-03356-8)

## Has Indonesia banned elephant rides?

Yes, at licensed conservation institutions. On 18 December 2025 the Forestry Ministry's Director-General for conservation issued Circular Letter No. SE.6 of 2025 on stopping elephant-riding displays at conservation institutions. It took effect on signing, applies nationwide and binds every conservation institution that keeps elephants, zoos included.

The stated reason is that elephant riding, commercial or not, no longer fits the principles of protection, ethics and animal welfare. Institutions that keep offering rides can receive a first and second warning letter, then a third that revokes their licence. In Bali, the conservation agency briefed every institution and is monitoring compliance; by mid-January 2026 one had already received a first warning letter.

The Bali agency is pushing institutions to replace rides with other themed activities that respect animal welfare, and the Forestry Minister has asked the public to report any rides they still see, or anything else that harms elephant welfare. Since 2 January 2026, Article 338 of the new Criminal Code has also penalised using an animal beyond its natural capacity in a way that can damage its health or threaten its safety.

Evidence: [Kemenhut resmi larang atraksi gajah tunggang secara nasional (ANTARA, 6 Feb 2026)](https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5401054/kemenhut-resmi-larang-atraksi-gajah-tunggang-secara-nasional) · [Kemenhut resmi larang atraksi gajah tunggang secara nasional (ANTARA, 6 Feb 2026)](https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5401054/kemenhut-resmi-larang-atraksi-gajah-tunggang-secara-nasional) · [Penghentian peragaan gajah tunggang pada lembaga konservasi di Provinsi Bali (BKSDA Bali, 15 Jan 2026)](https://ksda-bali.go.id/berita/penghentian-peragaan-gajah-tunggang-pada-lembaga-konservasi-di-provinsi-bali) · [Kemenhut resmi larang atraksi gajah tunggang secara nasional (ANTARA, 6 Feb 2026)](https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5401054/kemenhut-resmi-larang-atraksi-gajah-tunggang-secara-nasional) · [Kemenhut resmi larang atraksi gajah tunggang secara nasional (ANTARA, 6 Feb 2026)](https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5401054/kemenhut-resmi-larang-atraksi-gajah-tunggang-secara-nasional) · [Kemenhut resmi larang atraksi gajah tunggang secara nasional (ANTARA, 6 Feb 2026)](https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5401054/kemenhut-resmi-larang-atraksi-gajah-tunggang-secara-nasional) · [Penghentian peragaan gajah tunggang pada lembaga konservasi di Provinsi Bali (BKSDA Bali, 15 Jan 2026)](https://ksda-bali.go.id/berita/penghentian-peragaan-gajah-tunggang-pada-lembaga-konservasi-di-provinsi-bali) · [Penghentian peragaan gajah tunggang pada lembaga konservasi di Provinsi Bali (BKSDA Bali, 15 Jan 2026)](https://ksda-bali.go.id/berita/penghentian-peragaan-gajah-tunggang-pada-lembaga-konservasi-di-provinsi-bali) · [Menhut ajak publik melapor jika masih temukan atraksi gajah tunggang (ANTARA, 9 Feb 2026)](https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5405602/menhut-ajak-publik-melapor-jika-masih-temukan-atraksi-gajah-tunggang) · [UU No. 1 Tahun 2023 tentang KUHP (teks resmi, JDIH BPK; berlaku 2 Januari 2026)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/287456/UU%20Nomor%201%20Tahun%202023.pdf) · [Database Peraturan BPK: UU No. 1 Tahun 2023 tentang KUHP](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/234935/uu-no-1-tahun-2023) · [Penghentian peragaan gajah tunggang pada lembaga konservasi di Provinsi Bali (BKSDA Bali, 15 Jan 2026)](https://ksda-bali.go.id/berita/penghentian-peragaan-gajah-tunggang-pada-lembaga-konservasi-di-provinsi-bali)

## Is elephant riding cruel? What welfare research says

Research at tourist elephant camps in Thailand shows the picture is more complicated than ride or no ride. A study of 122 elephants at 15 camps found higher wound scores in about a quarter of cases where mahouts carried a hook (ankus), while saddle wounds were rare. A 2020 review found that 27% of elephants controlled with an ankus had wounds where the tool is used and that some camps hide hooks and chains from tourists; its authors stress that misuse of equipment must not be tolerated.

Yet a no-riding, no-hook policy on its own does not guarantee good welfare. Elephants at observation-only camps tended to stand more, exercise less and socialise little, and the number of overweight elephants is rising because they exercise less and tourists often feed them sweet treats. What matters is the chance to walk and exercise, contact with other elephants, soft ground, the right diet and well-trained mahouts.

In Indonesia, riding at licensed conservation institutions has now stopped. For activities such as feeding or bathing, check whether elephants seem chained for long periods, injured or forced to perform, and choose experiences where you watch elephants without making them interact.

Evidence: [Bansiddhi et al. (2019) Management factors affecting physical health and welfare of tourist camp elephants in Thailand, PeerJ 7: e6756](https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6756) · [Bansiddhi et al. (2019) Management factors affecting physical health and welfare of tourist camp elephants in Thailand, PeerJ 7: e6756](https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6756) · [Bansiddhi et al. (2020) Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand, Animals 10(6): 919](https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10060919) · [Bansiddhi et al. (2020) Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand, Animals 10(6): 919](https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10060919) · [Bansiddhi et al. (2020) Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand, Animals 10(6): 919](https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10060919) · [Bansiddhi et al. (2019) Management factors affecting adrenal glucocorticoid activity of tourist camp elephants in Thailand, PLoS ONE 14(10): e0221537](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221537) · [Bansiddhi et al. (2020) Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand, Animals 10(6): 919](https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10060919) · [Bansiddhi et al. (2020) Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand, Animals 10(6): 919](https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10060919) · [Bansiddhi et al. (2019) Management factors affecting physical health and welfare of tourist camp elephants in Thailand, PeerJ 7: e6756](https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6756) · [Bansiddhi et al. (2020) Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand, Animals 10(6): 919](https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10060919) · [Bansiddhi et al. (2019) Management factors affecting adrenal glucocorticoid activity of tourist camp elephants in Thailand, PLoS ONE 14(10): e0221537](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221537) · [Kemenhut resmi larang atraksi gajah tunggang secara nasional (ANTARA, 6 Feb 2026)](https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5401054/kemenhut-resmi-larang-atraksi-gajah-tunggang-secara-nasional) · [Penghentian peragaan gajah tunggang pada lembaga konservasi di Provinsi Bali (BKSDA Bali, 15 Jan 2026)](https://ksda-bali.go.id/berita/penghentian-peragaan-gajah-tunggang-pada-lembaga-konservasi-di-provinsi-bali)

## Are elephants protected in Indonesia? The law and penalties

Yes. The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), the species that includes both the Sumatran and the Bornean elephant, is listed as row 51 in the annex of Environment and Forestry Ministerial Regulation P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018. Internationally, Elephas maximus has been on CITES Appendix I since 1 July 1975.

Article 21(2) of Law No. 5 of 1990, as amended by Law No. 32 of 2024, prohibits hunting, catching, injuring, killing, keeping or trading live protected animals, and storing, owning, transporting or trading their parts or products made from them, ivory included. Since 2 January 2026, when Law 1/2026 on criminal-penalty adjustment removed the former 3-year minimum, individuals face up to 15 years in prison and/or a fine of up to category VII, which is Rp5 billion (Article 40A(1)).

Since 2 January 2026, Article 337 of the new Criminal Code (Law No. 1 of 2023) has penalised animal abuse, with heavier penalties if the animal is ill for over a week, disabled, seriously injured or killed. Article 66A of Law No. 41 of 2014 bans abusing or misusing animals in ways that disable them and requires anyone who knows of it to report it.

Regulation No. 17 of 2024 on species rescue covers evacuation, translocation, rehabilitation and release, including from habitat that has become cramped, isolated or damaged. Animals are assessed by a rescue team appointed by the head of the regional conservation agency (Balai KSDA) or national park office.

Evidence: [Permen LHK P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 tentang Jenis Tumbuhan dan Satwa yang Dilindungi (lampiran)](https://jdih.kehutanan.go.id/new2/uploads/files/P_106_2018_JENIS_TSL_menlhk_07252019152513.pdf) · [Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf) · [Bornean elephant Endangered – IUCN Red List (IUCN press release, 27 June 2024)](https://iucn.org/press-release/202406/bornean-elephant-endangered-iucn-red-list) · [CITES Species+: Elephas maximus, CITES listing (API record)](https://speciesplus.net/api/v1/taxon_concepts/5690?locale=en) · [UU No. 32 Tahun 2024 tentang Perubahan atas UU No. 5 Tahun 1990 (teks resmi, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/354517/UU%20Nomor%2032%20Tahun%202024.pdf) · [UU No. 32 Tahun 2024 tentang Perubahan atas UU No. 5 Tahun 1990 (teks resmi, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/354517/UU%20Nomor%2032%20Tahun%202024.pdf) · [UU No. 32 Tahun 2024 tentang Perubahan atas UU No. 5 Tahun 1990 (teks resmi, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/354517/UU%20Nomor%2032%20Tahun%202024.pdf) · [Database Peraturan BPK: UU No. 1 Tahun 2023 tentang KUHP](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/234935/uu-no-1-tahun-2023) · [UU No. 1 Tahun 2023 tentang KUHP (teks resmi, JDIH BPK; berlaku 2 Januari 2026)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/287456/UU%20Nomor%201%20Tahun%202023.pdf) · [UU No. 1 Tahun 2023 tentang KUHP (teks resmi, JDIH BPK; berlaku 2 Januari 2026)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/287456/UU%20Nomor%201%20Tahun%202023.pdf) · [UU No. 41 Tahun 2014 tentang Perubahan atas UU No. 18 Tahun 2009 tentang Peternakan dan Kesehatan Hewan (teks resmi, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/28131/UU%20Nomor%2041%20Tahun%202014.pdf) · [UU No. 41 Tahun 2014 tentang Perubahan atas UU No. 18 Tahun 2009 tentang Peternakan dan Kesehatan Hewan (teks resmi, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/28131/UU%20Nomor%2041%20Tahun%202014.pdf) · [Permen LHK No. 17 Tahun 2024 tentang Penyelamatan Jenis Satwa (teks resmi, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/369993/Permen%20LHK%20No%2017%20Tahun%202024.pdf) · [Permen LHK No. 17 Tahun 2024 tentang Penyelamatan Jenis Satwa (teks resmi, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/369993/Permen%20LHK%20No%2017%20Tahun%202024.pdf) · [Permen LHK No. 17 Tahun 2024 tentang Penyelamatan Jenis Satwa (teks resmi, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/369993/Permen%20LHK%20No%2017%20Tahun%202024.pdf) · [Permen LHK No. 17 Tahun 2024 tentang Penyelamatan Jenis Satwa (teks resmi, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/369993/Permen%20LHK%20No%2017%20Tahun%202024.pdf) · [Permen LHK No. 17 Tahun 2024 tentang Penyelamatan Jenis Satwa (teks resmi, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/369993/Permen%20LHK%20No%2017%20Tahun%202024.pdf) · [Permen LHK No. 17 Tahun 2024 tentang Penyelamatan Jenis Satwa (teks resmi, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/369993/Permen%20LHK%20No%2017%20Tahun%202024.pdf) · [Permen LHK No. 17 Tahun 2024 tentang Penyelamatan Jenis Satwa (teks resmi, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/369993/Permen%20LHK%20No%2017%20Tahun%202024.pdf) · [UU No. 1 Tahun 2026 tentang Penyesuaian Pidana (JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/337869/uu-no-1-tahun-2026) · [UU No. 1 Tahun 2026 tentang Penyesuaian Pidana (JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/337869/uu-no-1-tahun-2026) · [UU No. 1 Tahun 2026 tentang Penyesuaian Pidana (JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/337869/uu-no-1-tahun-2026)

## How to help

- Do not buy, order or keep anything made of ivory, including cigarette pipes, carvings and jewellery. Parts of protected animals stay illegal even as handicrafts.
- Report ivory or elephant parts on sale, online or in shops, to the Forestry Law Enforcement Directorate (pengaduan.gakkum.kehutanan.go.id) or the local BKSDA. Keep the evidence and do not contact the seller.
- If you see an elephant that is snared, sick or dead, do not approach it or try to remove a snare. Note the location and report it to the BKSDA, or the police on 110.
- Do not take elephant rides. If a zoo or tourist site still offers them, report it to the BKSDA or the Forestry Ministry.
- Do not reshare videos of elephants being ridden, beaten or made to perform for entertainment; report them to the platform.
- If you live near elephant habitat, do not set poison or snares. Join coordinated crop guarding and follow early-warning information from the BKSDA.
- Before donating to an elephant adoption scheme or any other appeal, check the organisation's fundraising permit and legal status with PanduanHewan's guide to checking appeals. PanduanHewan itself takes no donations.
- To volunteer, choose a programme that works under a BKSDA or national park permit, offers no hands-on contact with elephants, and is open about chains, hooks, diet and veterinary care.

## Common questions

### Are Sumatran elephants protected in Indonesia?

Yes. Elephas maximus is row 51 in the annex of Regulation P.106/2018. Hunting, killing, keeping or trading elephants or their ivory carries up to 15 years in prison and/or a fine of up to Rp5 billion under Law 32/2024, as adjusted by Law 1/2026.

### Can you still ride elephants in Bali or at Indonesian zoos?

No. Since 18 December 2025, circular SE.6/2025 has stopped elephant-riding displays at every licensed conservation institution in Indonesia, zoos included. Breaches can lead to warning letters and loss of licence, and the Forestry Minister has asked the public to report any rides they still see.

### How many Sumatran elephants are left?

The 2026–2036 action plan estimates 1,320–1,635 in the wild. Reported figures range from about 1,100 to 1,719, all far below the 2,400–2,800 estimated in 2007.

### Do female Asian elephants have tusks?

No. Among Asian elephants, all females and some males lack tusks, so ivory poaching targets tusked bulls, which are now very scarce in the wild.

### Are there wild elephants in Bali or Java?

No. Asian elephants are extinct in Java, and Indonesia's wild elephants live only in Sumatra and Kalimantan. Bali's elephants are Sumatran elephants kept by licensed conservation institutions.

### What should I do if wild elephants come into a farm or village?

Do not approach elephants, which is dangerous, and never injure or poison them or set snares, which is illegal. Contact the local BKSDA, and the police on 110 if anyone is in danger. Coordinated crop guarding with early-warning alarms has been shown to keep elephants out of fields. If anyone is hurt, go to a health facility.

### Is elephant bathing or feeding ethical?

Not necessarily. Research shows a no-riding policy alone does not guarantee welfare, and sweet treats from tourists help make elephants overweight. Choose places that give elephants room to move and socialise, do not misuse hooks, and offer observation rather than shows.

### How do I report ivory or elephant parts for sale?

Do not buy or contact the seller. Keep screenshots or photos and report to the Forestry Law Enforcement Directorate (Gakkum) at pengaduan.gakkum.kehutanan.go.id, pengaduan.gakkum@kehutanan.go.id or (021) 5790 2925, or to the local BKSDA. Ivory carvings and pipes are still illegal.

### Can elephants pass diseases to people?

Yes, tuberculosis for example. The risk of elephant-to-human transmission rises with the length of close contact with infected elephants, so researchers recommend routine TB screening for elephants and keepers. If you are injured or fall ill after contact with an elephant, go to a health facility.

Readers outside Indonesia can [help elephants](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/appeals/elephants/) with World Animal Rescue Network. Related site: PanduanHewan’s founder is also a director of World Animal Rescue Network. PanduanHewan does not accept donations.

## Sources

- [Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant, IUCN Red List assessment 2020 (Williams et al., e.T7140A45818198)](https://asesg.org/PDFfiles/Asian%20Elephant%20Red%20List%20Assessment%202020.pdf)
- [Bornean elephant Endangered – IUCN Red List (IUCN press release, 27 June 2024)](https://iucn.org/press-release/202406/bornean-elephant-endangered-iucn-red-list)
- [Only 1,325–1,648 wild elephants left in Indonesia, government says (25 Aug 2026)](https://news.mongabay.com/2026/08/only-1325-1648-wild-elephants-left-in-indonesia-government-says/)
- [Menhut: SRAK gajah harus jadi aksi nyata, bukan sekadar dokumen (ANTARA, Aug 2026)](https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5691756/menhut-srak-gajah-harus-jadi-aksi-nyata-bukan-sekadar-dokumen)
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- [Permen LHK P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 tentang Jenis Tumbuhan dan Satwa yang Dilindungi (lampiran)](https://jdih.kehutanan.go.id/new2/uploads/files/P_106_2018_JENIS_TSL_menlhk_07252019152513.pdf)
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- [World Elephant Day 2026: Indonesia's fight to save its elephants (ANTARA English)](https://en.antaranews.com/news/426777/world-elephant-day-2026-indonesias-fight-to-save-its-elephants)
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- [Gajah mini tinggal 13 di Nunukan (detikKalimantan, 25 Apr 2025)](https://www.detik.com/kalimantan/kalimantan-lestari/d-7884465/gajah-mini-tinggal-13-di-nunukan-dihormati-suku-dayak-diburu-orang-jahat)
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- [Sayuti et al. (2026) Body condition and temperature–humidity index are associated with cortisol levels as indicators of physiological stress in Sumatran elephants, Veterinary Medicine International](https://doi.org/10.1155/vmi/1184315)
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- [IUCN SSC Guidelines on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence, first edition (IUCN, 2023)](https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2023-009-En.pdf)
- [Qanun Aceh Nomor 11 Tahun 2019 tentang Pengelolaan Satwa Liar (teks, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/286443/Qanun%20No%2011%20Thn%202019%20Ttg%20Pengelolaan%20Satwa%20Liar.pdf)
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- [2 terdakwa penjual cula badak dan gading gajah divonis 4 tahun penjara (detikSumbagsel, 5 Feb 2025)](https://www.detik.com/sumbagsel/hukum-dan-kriminal/d-7764938/2-terdakwa-penjual-cula-badak-dan-gading-gajah-divonis-4-tahun-penjara)
- [Gakkum Kehutanan ungkap jaringan perdagangan gading gajah di Bali melalui patroli siber (Kemenhut, 2 Jun 2026)](https://www.kehutanan.go.id/pers/gakkum-kehutanan-ungkap-jaringan-perdagangan-gading-gajah-di-bali-melalui-patroli-siber)
- [Dua tahun kematian gajah latih Tesso Nilo 'Rahman', pembunuhnya belum terungkap (Katadata, 4 Mar 2026)](https://katadata.co.id/ekonomi-hijau/investasi-hijau/69a7ec4539760/dua-tahun-kematian-gajah-latih-tesso-nilo-rahman-pembunuhnya-belum-terungkap)
- [4 Fakta Gajah Rahman yang Malang, Mati Diracun hingga Gadingnya Hilang (detikNews, 13 Jan 2024)](https://news.detik.com/berita/d-7140101/4-fakta-gajah-rahman-yang-malang-mati-diracun-hingga-gadingnya-hilang)
- [Anak gajah Sumatera terjerat belalai di Aceh Jaya akhirnya mati (ANTARA, 16 Nov 2021)](https://manado.antaranews.com/berita/167861/anak-gajah-sumatera-terjerat-belalai-di-aceh-jaya-akhirnya-mati)
- [BKSDA turunkan tim nekropsi bangkai gajah sumatra di Aceh Tamiang (ANTARA, 10 Aug 2026)](https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5687957/bksda-turunkan-tim-nekropsi-bangkai-gajah-sumatra-di-aceh-tamiang)
- [UU No. 32 Tahun 2024 tentang Perubahan atas UU No. 5 Tahun 1990 (teks resmi, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/354517/UU%20Nomor%2032%20Tahun%202024.pdf)
- [Bansiddhi et al. (2019) Management factors affecting adrenal glucocorticoid activity of tourist camp elephants in Thailand, PLoS ONE 14(10): e0221537](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221537)
- [Bansiddhi et al. (2020) Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand, Animals 10(6): 919](https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10060919)
- [Stremme et al. (2021) Identification of two lethal cases of elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus haemorrhagic disease in Sumatran elephant calves in Indonesia, J Zoo Wildl Med (abstract, PubMed 33480579)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33480579/)
- [Understanding Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in elephants through a One Health approach: a systematic review (BMC Veterinary Research, 2022)](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-022-03356-8)
- [Penghentian peragaan gajah tunggang pada lembaga konservasi di Provinsi Bali (BKSDA Bali, 15 Jan 2026)](https://ksda-bali.go.id/berita/penghentian-peragaan-gajah-tunggang-pada-lembaga-konservasi-di-provinsi-bali)
- [Menhut ajak publik melapor jika masih temukan atraksi gajah tunggang (ANTARA, 9 Feb 2026)](https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5405602/menhut-ajak-publik-melapor-jika-masih-temukan-atraksi-gajah-tunggang)
- [UU No. 1 Tahun 2023 tentang KUHP (teks resmi, JDIH BPK; berlaku 2 Januari 2026)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/287456/UU%20Nomor%201%20Tahun%202023.pdf)
- [Database Peraturan BPK: UU No. 1 Tahun 2023 tentang KUHP](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/234935/uu-no-1-tahun-2023)
- [Bansiddhi et al. (2019) Management factors affecting physical health and welfare of tourist camp elephants in Thailand, PeerJ 7: e6756](https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6756)
- [UU No. 41 Tahun 2014 tentang Perubahan atas UU No. 18 Tahun 2009 tentang Peternakan dan Kesehatan Hewan (teks resmi, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/28131/UU%20Nomor%2041%20Tahun%202014.pdf)
- [Permen LHK No. 17 Tahun 2024 tentang Penyelamatan Jenis Satwa (teks resmi, JDIH BPK)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Download/369993/Permen%20LHK%20No%2017%20Tahun%202024.pdf)
- [Call Center 110 (Polri)](https://polri.go.id/kontak/call-center-110)
- [Pengaduan Penegakan Hukum Kehutanan (Ditjen Gakkum Kehutanan)](https://pengaduan.gakkum.kehutanan.go.id/)
- [Database Peraturan BPK: Qanun Provinsi Aceh Nomor 11 Tahun 2019 tentang Pengelolaan Satwa Liar](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/143286/qanun-prov-nad-no-11-tahun-2019)
- [Database Peraturan BPK: UU No. 32 Tahun 2024](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/295135/uu-no-32-tahun-2024)
- [Database Peraturan BPK: Permen LHK No. 17 Tahun 2024 tentang Penyelamatan Jenis Satwa](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/309466/permen-lhk-no-17-tahun-2024)