Banda Aceh – The deaths of two Sumatran elephants in quick succession in Aceh have prompted the Environmental Journalists Forum and the Nusantara Elephant Network to call on the Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the wildlife protection and health system.
The two elephants were a wild male elephant found dead in a palm oil plantation in Aceh Tamiang on August 9, 2026, and a domesticated elephant calf named Yuna who died at the Saree Elephant Training Center (PLG) in Aceh Besar on August 11, 2026.
Hidayatullah, Head of the Advocacy Department at the Environmental Journalists Forum, stated that the male elephant was found in a palm oil plantation owned by PT MPLI in Gampong Kaloy, Tamiang Hulu District, Aceh Tamiang, on Sunday (August 9) around 12:00 p.m. WIB.
According to him, the elephant’s carcass was found lying on a plantation path with both tusks still intact and no visible wounds on its body. Initial examinations point to a suspected case of poisoning, with estimates suggesting the animal had been dead for about three days before it was discovered.
Two days later, Yuna, a tame elephant calf about three years old, also died at the Saree Elephant Conservation Center (PLG). On Tuesday (August 11) morning, Yuna still appeared active as usual. However, toward the afternoon, the mahout found Yuna in a lethargic state with swollen eyes and face, and a pale, bluish tongue.
The medical team then provided treatment, but Yuna’s condition continued to deteriorate until she finally died at 8:48 p.m. WIB. Preliminary findings point to an infection with Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV), a disease that can affect young elephants and progresses rapidly.
“The deaths of these two elephants add to concerns about the continuing decline in the Sumatran elephant population. The Sumatran elephant population in Aceh alone was previously estimated to be only around 500 individuals,” said Hidayatullah on Thursday (August 13, 2026).
The Environmental Journalists Forum noted that in the past four years, there have been at least 23 cases of elephant deaths throughout Aceh. The causes vary, including poaching and human-elephant conflict.
Hidayatullah believes that the repeated deaths of domesticated elephants at the Saree Elephant Sanctuary should not be explained solely from a medical perspective after the animals have died. In his view, the Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) needs to evaluate its systems for prevention, monitoring, early detection, and animal health management.
“We urge the Aceh BKSDA to responsibly disclose the elephants’ health records, necropsy results, and laboratory test results to the public,” he said.
He emphasized that every individual elephant plays a crucial role in conservation efforts, especially since the Sumatran elephant population is currently in decline and classified as critically endangered.
“One elephant may seem insignificant in terms of population numbers, but for conservation, every life matters. Prevention and early detection—not explanations after a death has occurred—should be the priority,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, Yulham, from the Inter-Institutional Relations and Publications Division of the Nusantara Elephant Network, called for the suspected EEHV infection that caused Yuna’s death to be scientifically confirmed through laboratory testing.
He also questioned the biosecurity measures implemented at the Saree Elephant Conservation Center (PLG Saree) to prevent the potential spread of the disease to other elephants.
According to Yulham, the deaths of elephants in Aceh Tamiang and at the Saree Elephant Conservation Center are issues related to the safety of the Sumatran elephant population, both those living in the wild and those under human care.
Yulham urged the Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA Aceh) not only to conduct an internal investigation but also to facilitate an independent evaluation involving wildlife veterinarians, elephant experts, academics, and conservation organizations.
“The deaths of the domesticated elephant Yuna and the elephant in Aceh Tamiang must serve as a turning point, not merely a source of grief that fades away. We hope the Aceh BKSDA will strengthen its health and biosecurity systems, tighten monitoring in conflict-prone areas such as oil palm plantations, and ensure that all information regarding the condition and management of elephants is openly accessible to the public,” he concluded. (InfoPublik).