A critically endangered Sumatran elephant calf was born on November 4, 2024, at the Buluh Cina Nature Tourism Park in Riau Province, Sumatra, Indonesia.

The female calf, weighing approximately 104 kilograms (229 pounds), is the offspring of 24-year-old mother Ngatini and 25-year-old father Robin. Local conservation agency head Genman Suhefti Hasibuan confirmed the calf’s health, noting she is “healthy, lively, and actively looking for milk from the mother.”

This birth offers renewed hope for the conservation of Sumatran elephants, a species teetering on the brink of extinction with an estimated 2,400 to 2,800 individuals remaining worldwide. The population faces severe threats from poaching for their tusks and habitat loss due to deforestation, leading to increased human-elephant conflicts.

In late 2023, two other Sumatran elephant calves were born in Way Kambas National Park, also located on Sumatra island. These births underscore the importance of ongoing conservation efforts to protect and preserve this critically endangered species.

The Indonesian government and various conservation organizations continue to work diligently to combat poaching and habitat destruction, aiming to ensure a sustainable future for the Sumatran elephant population.