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Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry and Vantara, founded by Anant Ambani, Executive Director of Reliance Industries Limited, have announced a partnership focused on strengthening wildlife health infrastructure, veterinary care and conservation efforts in Indonesia.The programme will include training for elephant caregivers, veterinarians and officials involved in wildlife management, along with 10 veterinary hospitals, or ‘Hospitals on Wheels’ for wild animals across Indonesia. The Way Kambas Elephant Hospital will be upgraded into an Elephant Treatment and Care Centre with equipment and technology.
The upgraded facility is expected to support 62 Sumatran elephants under human care and nearly 100 wild Sumatran elephants in the surrounding landscape, according to the announcement.The programme is part of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Indonesian government and Vantara covering wildlife health, animal welfare and conservation. The cooperation also includes conservation breeding, rehabilitation, rewilding, in situ and ex situ conservation, and capacity building.Vantara will provide veterinary expertise, technical support, infrastructure assistance and training in programmes led by Indonesian authorities, working with national institutions and Fauna Land.
Indonesia’s Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said the cooperation would strengthen the country’s ability to care for wildlife while ensuring that the programmes remain under Indonesian authorities.“Wildlife conservation is ultimately our responsibility, and we must ensure that Indonesia has the facilities, expertise and resources to care for our wildlife wherever they need us. Through this partnership, we are strengthening our own wildlife health and conservation infrastructure, with Vantara supporting us with its experience, expertise and resources,” Antoni said.Vantara CEO Vivaan Karani said the organisation would share its experience in wildlife health, veterinary care, animal husbandry and conservation while also learning from Indonesia’s conservation work.
“Indonesia is home to some of the world’s most extraordinary biodiversity, and it is a privilege for Vantara to support the country in protecting this heritage for future generations,” Karani said. “Most importantly, we want this partnership to deliver something practical and lasting for wildlife.”Faunaland CEO Danny Gunalen said the partnership could help strengthen local capacity and wildlife infrastructure.“Indonesia is blessed with extraordinary wildlife and biodiversity, and protecting this natural heritage is a responsibility we all share,
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” Gunalen said. “We hope this partnership will build local capacity, strengthen the infrastructure available to wildlife and, most importantly, make a real and lasting difference to the animals and the people dedicated to protecting them.”The cooperation will follow Indonesia’s national conservation priorities and applicable laws and policies, with its success ultimately measured by how effectively the new support reaches animals in need and translates into stronger, lasting protection for endangered species across the country.
