A report released by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Washington yesterday called on American companies and consumers to be responsible in using tissue and paper towels by not buying products from Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) which linked to rain forest destruction, originating from areas that are the last home for critically endangered species such as Sumatran tigers, elephants, and orangutans.

Bangkok – As world leaders gather to negotiate a new global climate deal, one pulp and paper company in Indonesia is proceeding with plans to pulp up to 170,000 hectares of natural forest in Sumatra’s Bukit Tigapuluh. The forest landscape is key habitat for critically endangered Sumatran tigers and Sumatran elephants, and the site of the world’s only successful Sumatran orangutan reintroduction program.

The Jakarta Post, JAMBI, 15 June 2009 -- An immediate expansion of the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park (TNBK) is a must in order to reduce the conflict between humans and elephants, say local government officials.

28 Aug 2008, panda.org --The Indonesian government is to double the size of a national park that is one of the last havens for endangered Sumatran elephants and tigers.

Riau NGO coalition calls Government to stop selling largest remaining natural forest block in Sumatra ’s Riau and Jambi: 130,000 hectares of Sumatran tiger and elephant forests under siege

Pekanbaru (EoF News)-- The government is urged to abide by regulations on its Sumatran elephant conservation agreement and protect the endangered species habitat from rampant conversion as human-elephant conflict escalates currently. Two elephants killed nearby Bukit Tigapuluh forest block early this month amid uncertainty of implementation on Ministry of Forestry Decree appointing Riau as Sumatran Elephant Conservation Centre.

Tesso Nilo, a proposed sanctuary for endangered Sumatran elephants, is under threat, as series of observation conducted by Forest Crime Unit of WWF-Indonesia Riau office has concluded recently.

However, APP did not reply to the call by Eyes on the Forest to APP to immediately stop sourcing any wood from anywhere within Libo Forest Block. As shown in the EoF report: Forest to Paper, Forest to Palm Oil and No Place to Live for Riau’s Elephants (published on 18 April), APP has been found by EoF to source wood from three areas in Libo Block, in addition to the Bina Daya Bintara concession. Therefore, EoF continues to call APP to immediately stop any logging or any sourcing of wood from anywhere inside Libo Block.

These and many previous cases of human-elephant conflict and killings appear to be connected to highly questionable, uncontrolled forest clearing in Riau's Libo Forest Block, one of the few remaining retreats of the Sumatran elephant in central Sumatra.