COMMUNITY-BASED PROTECTION OF SUMATRAN ELEPHANT POPULATIONS AND HABITAT IN TANGKAHAN, NORTH SUMATRA, INDONESIA, THROUGH CONSERVATION RESPONSE UNITS

THE GOAL OF THIS THREE-YEAR PROJECT IS TO CONSERVE THE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SUMATRAN ELEPHANT AND ITS HABITAT WITHIN GUNUNG LEUSER NATIONAL PARK IN TANGKAHAN, INDONESIA, THROUGH THE OPERATION OF CONSERVATION RESPONSE UNITS (CRU).

CRUS UTILIZE CAPTIVE ELEPHANTS, THEIR MAHOUTS, AND LOCAL COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES FOR DIRECT, FIELD-BASED CONSERVATION INTERVENTIONS.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: 1) SUSTAIN CRU OPERATION IN TANGKAHAN 2) DEVELOP COMMUNITY-BASED FOREST PROTECTION AND MONITORING 3) MANAGE HEC MITIGATION IN TANGKAHAN AND 4) STRENGTHEN THE EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS OF CRU TANGKAHAN BY DEVELOPING AN EDUCATION CENTER AND ASSOCIATED PROGRAMS.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: 1) UPGRADE CRU STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, AND SUPPORT OPERATIONS 2) COORDINATE WITH DISTRICT AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS TO SUPPORT FUTURE APPROPRIATED FUNDING 3) TRAIN COMMUNITY RANGERS AND PARK STAFF TO CONDUCT ROUTINE CRU FOREST PATROL AND MONITORING, INCLUDING CAMERA TRAP AND DRONE METHODS 4) PRODUCE LANDSCAPE AND ELEPHANT MOVEMENT MAPS 5) RESPOND TO HEC INCIDENTS 6) PROVIDE TRAINING ON ELEPHANT-COMPATIBLE ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOODS 6) TRAIN COMMUNITY RANGERS IN HEC MITIGATION 7) UPGRADE CRU BASE CAMP FACILITIES TO FUNCTION AS AN EDUCATION CENTER, PRODUCE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, AND CONDUCT REGULAR EDUCATION EVENTS AND 8) HOST JOURNALI