Conservation of Salt Lick Locations Utilized by Sumatran Elephant (Elephas Maximus-Sumatranus) in Tangkahan, North Sumatra

Community perception towards salt lick behaviour by Sumatran Elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) is an important element for investigation to support the wildlife conservation in a Conservation Response Unit (CRU) area. The results showed that community perceptions towards salt lick behavior were varied, ranging from moderate, strong to very strong relationship. The education factor has a positive relationship with perceptions of salt lick behavior and elephant conservation (ρ = 0.228; p = 0.022), the higher the level of education, the better the understanding. While the distance from the settlement to the salting location was significantly negative (ρ = -0.537; p = 0.000), the closer the settlement to the elephant salting location, the better the perception. Duration of residence was negatively related to perception (ρ = -0.145; p = 0.151), the longer they resided, the less understanding by the community towards the salt behavior and elephant conservation. It was suspected that the longer they resided will increase their participation to the ecotourism site, hence they were less likely to enter the forest. In general, the community nearby CRU Tangkahan supported the existence of salt licks location by maintaining, while not changing the form of the authenticity and not damaging the location from ecotourism activities.