Enviro News Asia, Riau — The Ministry of Forestry intensified preventive measures against Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpes Virus (EEHV) following the death of a young Sumatran elephant at the Sebanga Elephant Conservation Center in Bengkalis, Riau. The female elephant, named Laila, aged one year and six months, died after contracting the virus.
To prevent further fatalities, the Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, instructed cooperation with Fauna Land Indonesia to bring in elephant health specialists from Vantara, a leading wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation center based in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India. Vantara operates one of the world’s most advanced elephant hospitals.
The initiative aims to conduct medical analysis and implement preventive actions to curb the spread of EEHV among captive and semi-captive elephant populations. The joint Indonesian–Indian team arrived in Riau on December 22, 2025, to begin field evaluations and early detection efforts.
The Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE), Satyawan Pudyatmoko, stated that early diagnosis and adequate technical capacity are essential to preventing EEHV-related deaths. He emphasized that international collaboration would help establish baseline health data for elephants and strengthen the skills of mahouts through targeted capacity building.
The preventive program started at Buluh Cina Nature Tourism Park under the Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency and will later expand to other elephant habitats, including Tesso Nilo National Park, Sebanga, Way Kambas, and additional conservation areas.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of Fauna Land Indonesia, Danny Gunalen, confirmed his organization’s readiness to support the government by facilitating surveys, medical assessments, and routine preventive measures. He noted that veterinarians from India had already conducted initial diagnoses and evaluated elephant welfare conditions following the recent EEHV outbreak.
Through this cross-border collaboration, the Ministry of Forestry aims to strengthen Indonesia’s elephant health protection system and establish a data-driven, preventive-oriented model for wildlife disease management, ensuring better survival prospects for the endangered Sumatran elephant. (*)
