A male Sumatran elephant calf (Elephas maximus sumatranus) was born in the Tesso Nilo National Park (TNTN), Pelalawan Regency, Riau. The birth is positive news for efforts to safeguard the survival of the protected species.
The Ministry of Forestry said the calf was born to a female elephant named Lisa on Monday (Sept. 28) at around 7:00 p.m. local time. Lisa has been under the monitoring of park management, and this is her sixth birth.
Head of the Tesso Nilo National Park Office Heru Sutmantoro said the calf was the result of Lisa mating with a wild elephant. This indicates reproductive interaction between a managed elephant and the wild elephant population in the TNTN area.
Ahead of the delivery, Lisa’s condition was closely monitored by a team consisting of mahouts, veterinarians, and animal caretakers. Monitoring began on Sunday (Sept. 27) after the team observed several changes in the mother’s condition.
Among the signs observed were hardening of the mammary glands and increased restlessness compared with Lisa’s normal behavior. The team then intensified monitoring to ensure the birth proceeded safely.
Lisa eventually gave birth to the male calf on her own in the Elephant Flying Squad (EFS) Camp area of TNTN. The calf was reported to be safe and healthy. About 20 minutes after birth, the calf was already able to stand on its own and showed what was considered a good reflex response.
Following the birth, the mother and calf were monitored around the clock for 24 hours. The medical team and mahouts monitored their physical condition while ensuring that the calf received sufficient breast milk during the early stage of its life.
The Tesso Nilo National Park Office expressed appreciation to the field team and medical personnel involved in the monitoring and birth process. The arrival of the new calf is expected to support Sumatran elephant conservation efforts while increasing attention to protecting the species’ habitat.
Dimas Wijaya is a business and finance journalist at RakyatPost with a strong interest in entrepreneurship, startups, digital transformation, and emerging market trends across Southeast Asia. He specializes in covering economic developments, corporate strategies, fintech innovation, and the evolving digital economy. Passionate about data-driven storytelling and accessible journalism, Dimas aims to simplify complex business topics for modern readers while delivering accurate, insightful, and engaging reporting.
