LAMANRIAU.COM, PEKANBARU– Riau Province conservation world received good news. A baby male elephant was born at the Elephants Flying Squad camp, SPTN Region I Lubung Kembang Bunga, Tesso Nilo National Park (TNTN) Lubuk Kembang Bungo Village, Ukui District, Pelalawan Regency, Thursday 2 December 2021 yesterday.
The results of morphometric measurements, the elephant calf was born with a height of 86 centimeters and a body length of 102 centimeters, a body circumference of 103 centimeters and a weight of 84 kg.
Head of Region II BBKSDA Riau, Heru Sutmatoro said the baby male elephant was the child of a mother elephant named Ria, 45 years old. “This male baby elephant was born at around 02.00 WIB yesterday,” explained Heru.
This baby is clearly Heru, is the result of breeding (breeding) with wild elephants. Then this baby is the fourth child of “Ria”.
Meanwhile, the other three elephants born to Ria’s first elephants were Tesso, Tino, and Harmoni Rimbo.
“The birth process took place normally, the mother and baby were in good health. Until now, the Riau BBKSDA medical team will continue to carry out health checks for the mother and baby elephants,” said Heru.
According to Heru, his party recorded that the elephants flying squad in Tesso Nilo National Park had experienced 4 calf births from two tame elephant mothers, Lisa and Ria, in the last 5 years.
To be precise, a year ago at the end of 2020, the mother “Lisa” also gave birth to a male elephant calf which is now named “Ryu”.
So, the addition of one Sumatran elephant calf in the elephants flying squad of Tesso Nilo National Park, continued Heru, reinforces the fact that the forest area of Tesso Nilo National Park is an important habitat that contributes to the increase in the Sumatran Elephant population.
Heru explained that in 2011, the IUCN has determined the conservation status of the Sumatran Elephant to be in the Critically Endangered (CR) category, which means this animal is on the verge of extinction.
“The Sumatran elephant is one of the protected mammal species as stated in the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry Number: P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 concerning the Second Amendment to the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia Number P.20/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/6/2018 concerning Protected Types of Plants and Animals,” explained Heru.
In line with that, the birth of baby elephants in the elephants flying squad of Tesso Nilo National Park, increases the optimism and enthusiasm of Tesso Nilo National Park as the Sumatran Elephant conservation center in Riau in preserving the Sumatran Elephant population again.
The Tesso Nilo National Park Office hopes that the birth of the Sumatran elephant in the Tesso Nilo National Park flying squad can realize the vision, mission and goals of managing Tesso Nilo National Park.
“Currently the total number of elephants in the elephants flying squad camp TNTN is 10 (4 adult elephants, 2 juvenile elephants, 4 child elephants),” concluded Heru. (MCR)
