The small step of a newborn elephant on September 29 drew the attention of visitors to the Tangkahan-olifokweederation (CRU), Langkat, North Sumatra. On Thursday (29/10) Asep (baby elephant) is already a month old and attracts the attention of tourists. Asep seemed to gasp at the mother's staircase, which was lined up with a herd of other elephants.
Asep entered the line between her mother's legs and looked as if she were asking for protection. The mother seemed to slow Asep down and protect her under her body. The elephants marched to the river and bathed in the carriage. Now there are even 10 elephants that can be seen by tourists, namely 7 adult elephants and 3 baby elephants at the age of 3 months until the last baby Asep, which is only one month old.
Edi, head of the CRU, said that among ten elephants there is only one male adult elephant and one baby of a male elephant.
Getting an elephant baby is quite difficult. Because the marriage of the elephant is only once every eight years. Not to mention waiting for his birth, because the elephant is 2 years pregnant. These 3 baby elephants were the first babies in Tangkahan, as long as they were opened since 2002.
Noting the number of elephants that recently died at the CRU, he said that two elephants had died, who died some time ago from an elephant disease that also happened in Asian countries with elephants.
There were two elephants that died some time ago from the elephant virus. The virus also ensures that the extinction of elephants becomes a phenomenon that almost occurs in several countries, he said.
He said that taking care of elephants is now quite routine to prevent the emergence of viruses or other diseases that elephants suffer.
Officers routinely monitor the body, the soles and the mouth of the elephant. The provision of tetanus vaccine and worm medicine is also performed every 3 months. Although it requires sufficient attention, elephants live like humans. Even in Tangkahan CRU there are elephants that are 50 years old.
For the adventurous traveler, unravel the secrets of the tropical rainforest of Sumatra by riding an elephant. You can buy tickets in the forest that mature elephants ride, with tickets for 650,000 rupees.
Although buying elephant elephants costs 100,000 rupees, the entire package includes tracking, elephant feeding for swimming and elephant treks in Tangkahan for 850,000 IDR.
According to him, the ticket for the TNGL forestry that rides an elephant will rise to IDR 1 million in January 2016, making the end of this year the last ticket price of millions.
When elephants with elephants see the intelligence of elephants when they are bathed, he looks down and lies down, as if he knows which parts are clean and that are dirty in parts of his body.
Elephants also like to gather in the spraying of their bodies and water while bathing. As if you want to play with tourists who bathe.
Elephants are also used to march in tracking and, according to the trainer, to raise and lower.
This was seen when a coach instructed the elephant to take the branches of the leaves and the firewood. The male elephant immediately took the object with his ivory and brought it to the coach-led spot and lowered it when the instructor told him to turn off the wood.
Wood and branches are neatly arranged in the right area, not messy and not thrown away. The elephants look very tame according to the coach.
Tangkahan is one of the best elephant fauna tours in Indonesia. Tangkahan is located in the Lusatian Mountains, the national park that is protected by the government. In the wilderness there is an entertainment and training ground for elephants.
To explore the forest, two alternatives have been set by the manager. Namely, hiking can be accompanied by a guide or ridden with the Sumatran elephant waiting to take visitors through the jungle.
You can also go on an adventure to discover the secrets of the tropical rainforest of Sumatra by riding an elephant all day long.
To enjoy all the packages, washing the elephant as well as following, eating and others, the manager has set the rate at 850,000 rupees per person.
While only 650,000 rupees per person for one hour travel alone with elephants.
The Tangkahan area also has lowland and highland ecosystem types with forest conditions that are still preserved purity.
Flora fauna found in this area are semar bags, rafflessia, Amorphophalus sp, damar, meranti, mayang, while fauna found in this area are elephants, orangutans, long-tailed macaques, tigers, forest goats, wild pigs, kuau birds and others . So, tourists who are most interested here can also be said from abroad.
If tourists who want to travel to Tangkahan are advised to drive a car. To reach Tangkahan it takes 4 hours from the city of Medan.
During the trip to Tangkahan it is not uncommon for tourists to see truck cars carrying oil palm passing by, this is because the majority of the people make a living as oil palm farmers. Then the neglect of the truck is a factor that the road is not paved.
So tourists are expected to be more careful about carrying cars. Tourists are also advised to bring complete supplies, such as medicines if they have diseases and clothing if they want to stay overnight, because Tangkahan is far from the city center.
But tourists don't need to be confused for lodging. There are a number of inns that can be a choice of resting with an affordable budget, starting from Rp. 200 to 600 thousand.
To be able to visit this tourist spot, tourists must travel about 4 hours from Medan or Kuala Namu International Airport by using Damri Bus to Pinang Baris Terminal. Then, continue with the Universe Development Bus by paying Rp. 25,000 to arrive at Tangkahan or around 3-4 hours of driving.
For information, now access to Tangkahan is not as difficult as last year. Later, a 50-kilometer road to TNGL which had previously been damaged by potholes has now been paved. Only about 7.5 kilometers of rocky road to enter the Tangkahan area that has not been paved.
Arriving there, the traveler must register at the Visitor Center. After that, you can check in for accommodation.
In Tangkahan there are several lodgings offered to visitors such as Tangkahan Inn, Bamboo River Lodge, Jungle Lodge, and Green Lodge.
Exclusive, the word is enough to define the sensation that travelers feel when traveling in Tangkahan, which has a green river flow and Langkat waterfall flanked by two villages, namely Namo Sialang Village and Sei Serdang Village. Being in the middle of a lush forest, reaching it must cross the river.
Tourists are seen crossing in the middle of a strong current. By holding on to each other, the half-waist water for 10 meters was passed step by step against the current.
The river water is cold, while the waterfall is better on the body because it is slightly mixed with hot springs on the cliff.
Even though it is only 3 meters high and does not have a flow of ponds or rivers beneath it, it flies behind the waterfall as a tourist's obligatory activity while in the waterfall.
