Tell Indonesia: Stop Using Elephants as Tools After Disaster Floods
The Issue
Indonesia is facing one of the deadliest natural disasters in its recent history. Catastrophic flash floods and landslides have devastated West Sumatra, North Sumatra, and Aceh — killing more than 1,400 people, destroying entire communities, and leaving both humans and animals in unimaginable suffering.
But amid this national tragedy, another cruelty is unfolding: elephants are being used as living machinery to haul debris, logs, and building materials in disaster zones.
Residents on the ground are pleading for the world’s attention. Elephants who already lost their homes to deforestation and development — elephants who are themselves victims of human‑made environmental destruction — are now being forced into dangerous, exhausting labor in the aftermath of these floods.
“They are not heavy machinery. They are living beings,” one Indonesian resident told World Animal News. “After their habitats were destroyed, now their strength is being used.”
This is not disaster relief — it is exploitation.
Environmental experts have long warned that illegal logging, palm oil expansion, and mining operations have destabilized Sumatra’s landscapes, making disasters like these far more likely. Elephants lose habitat, are pushed into conflict with humans, and are then used as tools when disaster strikes — a cycle of abuse that must end.
We call on the Government of Indonesia, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and the National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB) to:
- Immediately cease all use of elephants in disaster recovery efforts
- Investigate and end any forced labor involving elephants or other wildlife
- Prioritize modern, humane equipment for debris management
- Address the preventable causes of these disasters by enforcing laws against illegal logging and habitat destruction.
Elephants are sentient, intelligent animals who feel fear, exhaustion, and pain. They deserve protection — not exploitation — especially in a crisis caused by the very industries that have pushed them to the brink.
Add your name to demand urgent action: stop using elephants as disaster tools, and commit to humane, ethical disaster response in Indonesia.
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The Issue
Indonesia is facing one of the deadliest natural disasters in its recent history. Catastrophic flash floods and landslides have devastated West Sumatra, North Sumatra, and Aceh — killing more than 1,400 people, destroying entire communities, and leaving both humans and animals in unimaginable suffering.
But amid this national tragedy, another cruelty is unfolding: elephants are being used as living machinery to haul debris, logs, and building materials in disaster zones.
Residents on the ground are pleading for the world’s attention. Elephants who already lost their homes to deforestation and development — elephants who are themselves victims of human‑made environmental destruction — are now being forced into dangerous, exhausting labor in the aftermath of these floods.
“They are not heavy machinery. They are living beings,” one Indonesian resident told World Animal News. “After their habitats were destroyed, now their strength is being used.”
This is not disaster relief — it is exploitation.
Environmental experts have long warned that illegal logging, palm oil expansion, and mining operations have destabilized Sumatra’s landscapes, making disasters like these far more likely. Elephants lose habitat, are pushed into conflict with humans, and are then used as tools when disaster strikes — a cycle of abuse that must end.
We call on the Government of Indonesia, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and the National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB) to:
- Immediately cease all use of elephants in disaster recovery efforts
- Investigate and end any forced labor involving elephants or other wildlife
- Prioritize modern, humane equipment for debris management
- Address the preventable causes of these disasters by enforcing laws against illegal logging and habitat destruction.
Elephants are sentient, intelligent animals who feel fear, exhaustion, and pain. They deserve protection — not exploitation — especially in a crisis caused by the very industries that have pushed them to the brink.
Add your name to demand urgent action: stop using elephants as disaster tools, and commit to humane, ethical disaster response in Indonesia.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on December 9, 2025