Elva Gemita, a steadfast advocate for wildlife and forest conservation in Indonesia, passed away on November 24 at the age of 44.
Born and raised near Kerinci Seblat National Park, she developed an early connection with the biodiversity that would define her life’s work. Her career began in the forests of Jambi Province, dismantling illegal animal traps and conducting wildlife surveys. This unglamorous but vital fieldwork typified her approach: methodical, grounded, and committed.
By the mid-2000s, she was immersed in tiger monitoring programs at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), building the expertise that would underpin her later contributions to the survival of the Critically Endangered Sumatran tiger.
Her work was not confined to cataloging loss. At Hutan Harapan, one of Indonesia’s largest ecosystem restoration projects, Elva served as Head of Environment, Research, and Development. Here, she helped turn 100,000 hectares of degraded rainforest into a living laboratory for conservation. Her efforts ensured the involvement of stakeholders—from Indigenous communities to policymakers—in safeguarding this biodiverse refuge. Despite the isolation and physical rigors of her work, Elva remained a leader both in the field and among her colleagues, known for setting high standards and a relentless pace.
Academically, Elva broke barriers. Earning a master’s degree in Conservation Project Management from the University of Kent, she advanced scientific understanding of tiger occupancy in fragmented landscapes. Using camera traps, she demonstrated how human activity shaped the spatial dynamics of tiger populations, offering actionable insights for species management.
Her impact extended far beyond research. Elva was instrumental in creating Forum Harimau Kita, a national tiger conservation network. She trained the next generation of conservationists, instilling in them the discipline and resolve she embodied. Her ability to bridge the worlds of academia, government, and grassroots action made her a rare and influential figure in Indonesian conservation.
Elva’s efforts were not without personal cost. A woman in a male-dominated field, she often worked in arduous conditions. Yet her determination, as a colleague remarked, was “militant.” She remained undeterred, focused on the work itself rather than its recognition.
Her passing leaves a void not just in the conservation community but in the forests she sought to protect. Elva Gemita’s legacy is one of enduring dedication—an example of how one life, lived with purpose, can shape the fate of a species and the land it calls home.
Mongabay-Indonesia’s obituary for Elva
📷 (Left) Elva. From the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology. (Right) Rainbow in Jambi taken while accompanies by Elva at Harapan Rainforest.
