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Hidden Paradise

The Tangkahan! We couldn't believe our luck on March 16th that we were

discovering the beautiful of hidden paradise Tangkahan forest, In order to enhance

our skill in the field trip project under the Bandung Institute of Tourism. We found

Abang Ika through our initial research for this trip. We were told he was passionate

about ecotourism and how tirelessly he worked to rebuild and educate local society

on why it is so important to conserve and protect our heritage forest. It wasn't until

we read further that we learnt about ecotourism definition and attraction until his

conservation area of Tangkahan forest, located in Batang Serangan District Langkat

Regency, in North Sumatra Province.

This time in a team of five, we flew from Bandung to one of the largest city

in Indonesia called Medan then continued taken off a local bus. It took about five

hours to reach this place after landing on airport in the afternoon. We arrived at

Tangkahan in the evening where we stayed for overnight. Tangkahan often referred

to as a hidden paradise in Sumatra, the reason is if you want to reach this place you

need approximately four until five hours to Tangkahan besides oil palm crops will

accompanied you alongside the road with a rocky and dusty sensation.

As a tropical region North Sumatra has a temperature about 28 to 32 C

where the rainy season comes from September to January and Dry season comes

from February to August. With dense forest topography and its impressive

Tangkahan, it makes this village become remarkable tourist destination. The

panorama forest of the village will greet you when you waking up in the morning,

like birds singing, river stream of Batang Serangan until the horn of elephant trunk.

Mount Leuser National Park is one of the areas which have numerous

primates with various species in the world as well as a home to several species of

endangered animals. It is estimated around 89 endangered species and protected by

Mount Leuser National Park such as Sumatran tiger, Sumatran orangutan,

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Sumatran elephant, Sumatran rhinoceros, Honey bear, Rangkong papan or great

hornbill, Dhole, and Siamang. It is about 325 birds in the National Park. While the

reptilian such as Poison snake and River crocodile. You could find Jurung fish as

the indigenous fish of Alas River that can reach up to one meter.

Figure 1. Tangkahan forest and Batang serangan river

Source: March 2015 Achmad Rifqi

In the past time this forest of National Park frequently becomes illegal

dislodgement area during 1900 to 2000 becomes a great attention because of human

illegal logging wealth in several area which misapplied the reservation territory at

the moment. Nowadays the forest has changed into wildlife protection area. In

2004, it was a pride moment for local society since it accepted not only becomes

one of the world rain tropical forest sites of Sumatra but also claimed of the Mount

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Leuser National Park as a world heritage site by UNESCO so soon as Seblat

Kerinci National Park and South Bukit Barisan National Park.

Figure 2. Batang serangan river and Getek a kinds of boat to across the river

Source: March 2015 Achmad Rifqi

After achieving World Heritage Site in 2004. Tangkahan still has problems

to develop the area into ecotourism concept. The local society was the main key of

the successful Tangkahan growth. Illegal logging prohibition made most people of

Tangkahan becomes unemployment since it was a main do for living for them.

Local institution and government pushed hard the society to stop illegal logging

cases by educate why it is vital to conserve forest and how benefits developing

ecotourism destination in Tangkahan.

The government efforts on spreading the words and make a difference on

changing the habits of illegal loging and how potential it is to develop ecotourism

from one village to other village was not futile. In 2011 it was established an

organization that manage and monitor the activities of Tangkahan forest. LPT

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stands for Lembaga Pariwisata Tangkahan (Tangkahan Tourism Institution).

Including two elephants provided by Flora Fauna International came from South

Aceh Regency to help people working as settled into ecotourism attraction. The

native people has understand and aware the function and Tangkahan forest wealth.

Therefore, they tried to preserve their precious environment assets.

5 Tips on Tracking to Conservation Area

Traveled to the wild or protected areas can deliver and add a different

experience. Not only that, traveled to the conservation area will also open our

insights about the importance of environmental conservation and feel the direct

impact of environmental damage. Travel plan a conservation area is basically the

principle of the responsibility on the journey of environmental conservation. Here

are some tips on preparing for the trip and during a trip to the wild or protected

areas:

1. Prepare luggage efficiently

A trip to the wild requires us to carry goods that are not troublesome enough to

carry. Make a list of things that are important and useful for the needs for traveling

from place to drink, food to taste, drugs until raincoat.

2. Dress decent

Generally wild or conservation area is forested; therefore proper clothing needs to

be attention. Moreover, respect for local culture, because in some places, very

decent clothes are required. Vigilant against insect bites and wear comfortable

footwear for the field trip.

3. Comply with existing regulations

On the conservation area generally have specific regulations that aim to not disturb

wildlife or protecting the environment for instance not littering. Put into your

garbage bag first and waste when there is trash.

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4. Listen to what the guide said

We do not need to worry and fear for a trip to the wild because it is usually in the

conservation area, tourists allowed to enter, accompanied by a guide. Adhere to the

guide so as not to get lost or even hurt themselves.

5. be nice

Addition to complying with the rules and guides, we are also required to maintain

posture and oral. Respect for biodiversity, especially wildlife and also respect the

local residents or indigenous peoples.

`Usually the traveler who is accustomed traveled to the wild and

conservation area are familiar with the principles of the rule take nothing but

pictures, leave nothing but footprints and kill nothing but time. With respect and

conform to existing regulations area and be nice, we are ready to broaden

conservation.

The Development of Tourism in Tangkahan

We spent three days in Tangkahan meeting elephant conservation and oil

palm crops. Observing and sometimes playing with Elephant in the Conservation

Unit. Abang Ika told us more about his effort to rebuild Tangkahan into ecotourism.

The pioneer of Tangkahan ecotourism destination was from local society worked

corporately. Moreover, they worked as a volunteer with an aim to get experience

about how to work in conservation area. Through cooperation with the National

Park which directly has a right to control and monitor the physical condition aspects

Tangkahan forest.

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Figure 3. The map of Tangkahan ecotourism destination

Source: March 2015 Achmad Rifqi

Community Tour Operator (CTO) is the next foundation based on LPT (

Tangkahan Tourism Community) which provides tour package. Local people

become predominant on operating the foundation, starting from the woman who

gives an additional class for local society learning about English conversation.

About three teachers on the English Club have a competency in English literature.

The next program is Community Tour Operator (CTO) provides a trainee

about management knowledge up to professional guiding technical class. Tour

package rates has designed according to the cleaning budget, security finance, staff

salary, English club tutors, patrol team, up to the budget for animals prosperity like

their feeding portion and medical check up. Frankly, the local society do not

understand about financial management and capacity building since there is a

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contribution from government and local community programs more people know

both management system and financial.

In 2001, no visitor found in Tangkahan either domestic or foreign tourist.

Four years later tourists tourist start to travel to Tangkahan up to 4000 visitors

where every single tourist consumes approximately 1.5 million with a total income

8 billion per year.

Tourist must not forced to do the attraction in Tangkahan but the rangers

will offer them which activity they want it and suitable to their skill and interest.

Come and meet elephant together with rangers called Mahout, patrolling and

tracking across the forest to control illegal logging and poaching.

Explore and feel the sensation of adventure trip in the real forest. Passing an

axtreme track through climbing a sludge track to encounter the exotic species where

its home for them. Tourist might using elephant for tracking where you are going to

have a different sensation by sitting up to the elephant. How fantastic it is!

You can jump and swim from higher stone into the clear and fresh water of

Batang Serangan river. Feel the atmosphere of leisure time hided from the city life.

Tourist can get unique sensation not only visiting elephant camp but also washing

elephant in the river, you might reach the Conservation Response Unit (CRU) about

15-20 minutes by walking from Tangkahan. One thing you should remember that

you can get a nature spa and massage under the water fall of Buluh river. There is a

small water fall close to the river in the forest. If you have an extra energy you could

travel to the bigger one of water fall about an hour heading up to Buluh river. You

should try this one!

Alongside the road you can find the oil palm crops as it is one of the main

occupation of local people, worked for privat oil palm companies such as PT.

Nusantara II (Persero) and PT. Pertamina. With a numbers of wild elephant enter

the crops and the impact is increasing the human-elephant conflict.

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Mostly it is because of the missunderstand of the wild habitate elephant between the

border of plantation.

Oil Palm Company Saving Elephant

Human elephant conflict was increasing each year, the data showed

mortality WWF Indonesia in Aceh five cases in 2014 from 13 in 2012. These

figures show a significant increase, and of these cases, the majority of the mortality

rate is due to the conflict with humans, poisoned, or shot directly. The high forest

damage (including changes in function of the area to oil palm plantations) which is

home to the Sumatran elephant leads to reduced feed the elephants. This led to the

elephant population through plantations and plantation crops devoured.

Based on data from the Elephant Conservation Forum Indonesia, in 2014

from 26 Sumatran elephant habitat on the island of Sumatra, 13 of which are no

longer found the elephant population and was thought to be extinct. As for the 11

others were declared critical habitat and the other two in a critical threshold. The

reason, among others, is increasingly narrow space for elephants and the lack of

food in the habitat itself. The condition occurs in six habitats of elephants in Riau

and several other locations in southern Sumatra and Jambi.

Due to the narrowing native habitat Elephant and widespread conversion of

land into oil palm plantations, rubber and acacia, a change in behavior and feeding

pattern on the Sumatran elephant and the resulting human-elephant conflict because

Elephants are often took the palm fruits are considered as pests by humans.

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According to one of Mahout an Elephant temper in Tangkahan Wild

elephants entering residential areas or estates of citizens, can not directly be

regarded as garden pests. Because of the elephant habitats has been decreased and

numerous cases of conservation forest land changed into oil palm plantation. To

solving the problem company needs to contribute as to successful for elephant

conservation in their natural habitats. Oil palm company need to be more

transparent and follow the regulation of the government related to clearing the

forest transform into oil palm land, except those companies also required having a

role in natural conservation. For instance apply Best Management Practice.

Figure 4. Oil palm harvest in Tangkahan area.

Source: March 2015 Achmad Rifqi

The boundary between wild forest and oil palm plantations should be made

possible in order to avoid such human-elephant conflict and understanding of

elephants and their habitats need to be held to educate the community related so do

not assume the elephant as a pest for their garden.

As we know that human-elephant conflict often occurs due to the prompting

the land of oil palm plantation so that it can be inviting a numbers of elephant

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comes in that area. Elephants have been known to raid agricultural fields-

sometimes eating their way through an entire harvest in a single night. Elephants

love to eat cultivated crops like rice. The conflict also took a number victim even

deadly both in human and elephant.

Figure 5. Ranges conduct elephants to go to river by making a line.

Source: March 2015 Achmad Rifqi

Conservation Response Unit (CRU) is a local communities that manages

and monitor Tangkahan territory from wild-hunting. It is one the program made by

Flora Fauna International Organization. Conservation Response Unit (CRU)

worked for conservation both flora and fauna, so it is not only elephant but also

other animal in the forest. CRU have programs that related to elephants prosperity

such as exploiting the waste of elephants transform into organic fertilized, and

increasing the number of elephants birth about There are some ways you can do to

prevent human-elephant conflict.

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It is an obligation to prevent human-elephant conflict especially around the

border of elephant habitats and oil palm plantation which is too risky to save them

and avoid killing human or elephant. The local communities need to know

technically how to banish elephants safe and effective without falling victim.

How to Prevent Elephant from Oil Palm Plantation

As a society we have to do an active role in order to tell the information about the

elephant expulsion. Furthermore more people understand and know they can

minimalist human-elephant conflict. These are some way to prevent elephants from

oil palm plantation. According to World Wildlife Foundation:

1. Every single individual must have a principle that in doing such an

banishment there is no force expulsion so avoid clashes between humans

and elephants. Elephant is the world's largest land animal and also one of

the smartest. Elephants show concern and help other elephants in distress

since they are social creatures.

2. We have to act like a leader, being calm down, and make sure that elephants

know the existence of human as well as you should stay together in your

team and keep patience. Elephants can recognize themselves in mirrors so

they can be aware of people around them.

3. Not recommended dispel elephants at night, like doing a blockade way.

Calves stay with their mothers for years and are also cared for by other

females in the group. Imagine if you try to disturb calves, mother will anger

even killing you.

4. Don't get me wrong if you attacked by the elephant while they are on lust

condition since they tend to be more aggressive. Elephant has the longest

gestation period of any mammal at 22 months so we need to know whether

they are under pregnant or not.

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5. Do not drive in a way surprising, since the main aim to prevent not the cash

out. As you know elephants are not only a cultural icon throughout Asia,

they also help to maintain the integrity of forest and grassland habitats.

6. Always stay in a higher place when eye to eye to elephant, and make a

distance not too close to the elephant. Elephant trunks contain as many as

150.000 muscles; the trunk can pick up a single blade of grass or rip off a

tree branch. They might be kicked you with only a trunks. Pay attention if

you find the wild elephant.

7. It is very important to watch out their ears because of an elephant will

uphold the ear when it comes to human. They also need to think what they

should do in case of disturbed. Keep away and wait until elephants flick

their ears. When it quiets you can do an expulsion.

8. Make room for the elephants can move and find the right direction to get

out. Avoid using a bright colors t-shirt.

9. The last but not least, basically elephant expulsion is based on sound.

However, the source of sound needs to be careful to do effectively. The

sound must be hard but not frequently in order to avoid elephants become

panic and run. WWF teaches villagers how to harmlessly deter elephants

from crops through the use of Bombs made from a mixture of water,

elephant dung and crushed chilies. When burned, the mixture irritates an

elephant's trunk and keeps the animal away.