New initiatives to include nationwide capacity-building programmes, 10 mobile wildlife hospitals and a major upgrade of the Way Kambas Elephant Hospital

 

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

JAKARTA, AUGUST 26, 2026

Indonesia is set to significantly strengthen its wildlife health and in situ conservation capabilities through a major new partnership between the Government of Indonesia and Vantara, one of the world’s largest wildlife conservation initiatives founded by Anant Ambani, Executive Director of Reliance Industries Limited. The collaboration, announced by Indonesia’s Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni in Jakarta, will initially focus on building local expertise, expanding field-based veterinary services and upgrading critical wildlife healthcare infrastructure.

The partnership is being implemented in collaboration with PT Fauna Land Group, a leading wildlife organisation in Indonesia, and will support programmes led by the Government of Indonesia and relevant national authorities.

Announcing the initiatives, Minister Raja Juli Antoni said: “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. All the facilities and programmes under this cooperation will be owned, operated and managed by the Government of Indonesia and our relevant authorities, ensuring that they serve Indonesia’s conservation priorities and our wildlife for generations to come.”

The initial programme will focus on strengthening Indonesia’s wildlife health infrastructure and field capabilities, with Vantara providing specialist veterinary expertise, technical support, infrastructure assistance and capacity-building programmes.

Among the key initiatives announced are capacity-building training programmes for elephant caregivers, veterinarians and other wildlife-management officials; 10 Hospitals on Wheels to provide veterinary and healthcare services to wild animals in situ across Indonesia; and the transformation of the Way Kambas Elephant Hospital into an advanced Elephant Treatment and Care Centre.

The upgraded facility will be equipped with advanced tools, technologies and medical infrastructure. It is expected to support the care of 62 Sumatran elephants under human care and nearly 100 wild Sumatran elephants in the surrounding landscape, further strengthening efforts to protect one of Indonesia’s most threatened species.

Vivaan Karani, CEO, Vantara, said: “We are grateful to the Government of Indonesia and our partners for the trust and opportunity to contribute to Indonesia’s wildlife conservation efforts. 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 natural heritage for future generations. Vantara has developed deep expertise in wildlife health, veterinary care, animal husbandry and conservation, and we are pleased to share that experience with Indonesia. We also look forward to learning from the country’s considerable conservation experience. Most importantly, we want this partnership to deliver something practical and lasting for wildlife.”

Danny Gunalen, CEO, Fauna Land, said: “Indonesia is blessed with extraordinary wildlife and biodiversity, and protecting this natural heritage is a responsibility we all share. We are pleased to work alongside the Government of Indonesia and Vantara, bringing together our respective experience and expertise to strengthen wildlife health and care across the country. 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 initiatives are part of the broader cooperation established between the Government of Indonesia and Vantara under an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which provides a framework for collaboration in wildlife health, animal welfare and conservation. Under the MoU, the parties have identified priority areas of cooperation in alignment with Indonesia’s national conservation priorities.

As part of the collaboration, Vantara will contribute its expertise in veterinary care, animal husbandry and conservation, along with technical capabilities, infrastructure support and capacity-building programmes. These efforts will be undertaken in close coordination with the Government of Indonesia, relevant national institutions and Fauna Land.

The broader cooperation encompasses wildlife health and veterinary care, in situ and ex situ conservation, animal welfare, conservation breeding, rehabilitation, rewilding and capacity building, as well as other mutually agreed areas of collaboration.

For Vantara, the partnership follows the release of its Five-Year Plan and represents a significant expansion of its international conservation engagement. It will extend the expertise and capabilities developed at Vantara’s Jamnagar facility to support wildlife health, animal care and in situ conservation initiatives in Indonesia.

The collaboration also aligns with Vantara’s recent voluntary commitments to the CITES management authority of India to further strengthen its support for conservation in the natural range of wildlife, or in situ conservation.

The Government of Indonesia and Vantara will continue to develop the agreed areas of cooperation in accordance with Indonesia’s national conservation priorities, applicable laws and relevant policies. The partnership is intended to create sustainable institutional capacity and strengthen wildlife healthcare systems that can serve Indonesia’s biodiversity and conservation needs for generations to come.