Way Kambas National Park (WKNP) is situated in Lampung Province, southern Sumatra. Famously known for its Sumatran elephant, the park is also home to 406 bird species and 50 species of mammals. Many of these species, such as Sumatran tiger and rhino, are critically endangered. Considering its uniqueness in biodiversity, WKNP has been designated as part of ASEAN Heritage Park.
CHALLENGES
To maintain its ASEAN Heritage Park title, WKNP management unit should make their best effort to save biodiversity within the park. The landscape of the park covers 125.621,30 ha of swamps and lowland rainforests, but these habitats of Sumatra's charismatic species have been degraded by extensive logging in 1960s-1970s, adversely impacting wildlife population. Habitat loss can also drive wild elephant to wander near villages and lead to conflicts with human. While these conflicts may not directly affect elephant population, it can affect people’s support to conservation.
OUR SUPPORT
WCS-IP has supported the government in Way Kambas National Park since 2000 through its team Wildlife Response Unit (WRU), responding to human - elephant conflicts. The initiative includes human-elephant conflict mitigation, patrolling in 163 elephant tracks in villages around WKNP, facilitating self-reliant mitigation training and initiating village forum to independently mitigate human-elephant conflicts. WCS supports WKNP in setting up two teams of SMART patrol units, and conducting a study on elephant population using DNA obtained from faecal matters of the species.