Footage filmed on February 16 shows Sumatran elephants surfacing in an Indonesian forest near Silokek after the species were previously declared extinct.

A rare moment occurred in the forest area of ​​West Sumatra, where two Sumatran elephants were observed crossing the protected forest of West Sumatra, to be precise in the Silokek area, Sijunjung district. Previously, the Sumatran elephant in West Sumatra province had been declared extinct.

The Sumatran elephant was previously observed in West Sumatra 43 years ago or 1980 in the South Solok district. Based on observations from the West Sumatra provincial natural resources conservation agency, judging from the ivory, the elephant is a teenager.

It is suspected that the elephants came from Jambi province and then crossed the protected forest of West Sumatra and will end up in Riau province.

head of the Natural Resources Conservation Agency, Ardi Andono, said Thursday (16 February 2023) "we have sent a team to the location to observe the movements and behavior of the elephants, so that they know whether the elephant has left the group or will form a new group," "If the two elephants form a new group, it means that tens of years later there will be groups of elephants crossing that route, where in one group there are approximately 30 elephants led by a very large male elephant,".

Ardi added "this is a rare moment and must be closely monitored from poaching people, because those who hunt elephants are threatened by Indonesia's natural resource conservation law with a threat of 5 years in prison and a fine of 100 million rupiah,".