Sumatra, Bonus: Can young Indonesians help their iconic elephants survive?

Leif Cocks returns to the podcast to discuss the status of the Sumatran elephant, a critically endangered species that we discussed with him in season 2, which is estimated to have less than 10 years to find a conservation solution or face extinction: he says the ranks of passionate, young Indonesian conservationists he's recently met that are working for the iconic animals' future gives him great hope.  

He also shares an update on the critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan, whose land is threatened by a controversial hydroelectric project in North Sumatra, which has also claimed the lives of 16 workers in less than two years.

To hear our previous conversation with Leif, find episode 6 of season 2, or listen here:

Podcast: With just 10 years left to save Sumatran elephants, what can be done now?

To listen to our previous conversation with him about the Tapanuli orangutan, find episode 4 of season 2, or go here:

Podcast: Will a newly discovered ape species face a dammed future?

Related Reading:

• ‘Chased from every side’: Sumatran elephants pinned down by forest loss
• Photos: Meet the Indonesians on the front lines of human-elephant conflict in Sumatra
• ‘Cursed’ dam project in orangutan habitat claims 16th life in less than 2 years

If you missed the ten part series of Mongabay Explores Sumatra, you can find them via the podcast provider of your choice, or locate all episodes of the Mongabay Explores podcast on our podcast homepage here. 

Episode Artwork: Sumatran elephants in Bukit Barisan National Park. Photo by Rhett A. Butler/Mongabay.

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