Study on Maintenance and Utilization of Tamed Sumatran Elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus Temminck 1847) at the Elephant Training Center in the Seblat TWA Area, Bengkulu

Abstract

In the range of 23 years, from 1992 to 2015, there has been a drastic decrease in the number of individual tamed Sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus Temminck 1847) at the Seblat Elephant Training Center (PLG) from 40 individuals to 18 individuals. Decreasing the size of the tamed elephant population is suspected to be inappropriate elephant maintenance at PLG, disease, old age and malnutrition. Good governance in the maintenance and utilization of tamed elephants at PLG is thought to be able to increase the life span of elephants and their reproductive capacity. This study aims to examine the management of PLG, especially in the maintenance and utization of tamed elephants conducted by BKSDA, Bengkulu Province. The study was conducted by direct survey method to PLG Seblat and interviewing as well as searching various relevant literatures. The parameters observed refer to the minimum standard reference for handling elephants in captivity. The results of the study found that the maintenance and utilization of the tamed elephants at PLG were only partially fulfilling the minimum standard of management of the guided elephants such as training, grazing, trekking and patrolling. While the form of maintenance that is still below the standard that needs to be improved is related to the handling of elephant health and mitigation of tamed elephant conflict with communities around the PLG