Much of the remaining forest cover is in blocks smaller than 250 km2 (97 sq mi), which are too small to contain viable elephant populations.

[3] Sumatran elephants reach a shoulder height of between 2 and 3.2 m (6.6 and 10.5 ft), weigh between 2,000 and 4,000 kg (4,400 and 8,800 lb), and have 20 pairs of ribs.

[2] In 1985, an island-wide rapid survey suggested that between 2,800 and 4,800 elephants lived in all eight mainland provinces of Sumatra in 44 populations.

[6] In Aceh, radio-collared Sumatran elephant clans preferred areas in dense natural forests in river and mountain valleys at elevation below 200 m (660 ft); from there, they moved into heterogenous forests and foraged near human settlements mainly by night.

The reduction of the elephants' habitat for illegal conversion of agriculture and palm oil plantations still continues.

[12] Between 2012 and 2015, 36 elephants were found dead in Aceh Province due to electrocution, poisoning, and traps.

[7] Elephas maximus is listed on CITES Appendix I. Sumatran elephants are protected under Indonesian law.

[2] In 2004, the Tesso Nilo National Park has been established in Riau Province to protect the Sumatran elephant's habitat.