Sumatran Elephant in Leuser Ecosystem

Sumatran Elephant

Type in the TNGL elephant is a sub-species of the Asian elephant, Elephas maximus is sumatranus. Originally cruising lines covering almost the whole of Sumatra, but the last few decades cruising lane narrowing in the region of discontinuous forest that could support a population scattered. In TNGL, no one else cruising lane is adequately protected.

Sumatran elephant is like habitats in lowland rain forest soil with good drainage but with the support of a sufficient water supply. Region below an altitude of 1,000 meters above sea level even this should also have a spare elephants preferred food, ie bamboo, wild grass, lianas, bark of certain trees, and some fruits, such as durian, mango, and Cempedak. Declining supply of various types of food will impact on the breeding patterns, susceptibility to disease and death. Therefore reduced lowland rain forest will directly threaten the existence of the Sumatran elephant.

Elephant populations in TNGL predicted as many as 160-200 individuals, and this population is separated into several groups, with little hope of interbreeding, the future population is not so encouraging. According to Griffiths (1999), to provide adequate protection and proper corridor will help keep future Sumatran elephant is better, among others, by the protection of the home range area in the national park. In particular areas of lowland rainforest which is home range of the elephant groups. Homerange beginning of the elephant population in the region include Sekundur TNGL in Langkat, headed up in the cruising lane and cut enclave KAPPI Gumpang and Marpunge towards the valley Alas, Situlen Estuary, and ended around Lawe bengkung to west Kluet.