Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia’s military has deployed troops to help contain escalating conflicts between wild elephants and villagers in East Lampung, while authorities prepare to build a long fence along the boundary of Way Kambas National Park, as reported by the Indonesian news agency Antara.
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.
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 as quoted by Antara.
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. She said construction of a boundary fence was a long-term solution to keep elephants within their natural habitat.
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./.
Indonesia tightens management of elephant conservation
Head of BKSDA Bali Ratna Hendratmoko said all centres have been instructed to strictly implement the directive and ensure animal welfare standards, noting that supervision will be intensified and violations may result in licence withdrawal.
