Once captured, the tiger is safely transported to a secure area for observation and care.
Our team at the Sumatran Tiger Conservation Foundation (YPHS), working together with our colleagues at Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), is preparing for one of the most significant events in our organisation’s recent history: relocating a tiger caught in a human conflict zone to a largely untouched part of Sumatra where the big cat should have everything it needs to survive: habitat, live prey and fresh water.
It sounds like such a simple equation. But the hard fact is that, since the days when the island of Sumatra was under European colonisation, humans and tigers have been involved in an increasing battle over space and natural resources. I spend much of my life going from one village after another, where tigers have been spotted encroaching into human habitat, often with disastrous consequences.
The forest fires due to slash-and-burn that raged across Riau province in 2009 created a nightmare scenario. Tigers living in the Senepis forest conservation area in Riau, found their natural habitat on fire. Four of them strayed into human territory, several hundred meters from Basilam Baru village in Dumai municipality. A year later, tigers attacked domestic wildlife in the villages of Pasir Liamu Kapas and Sungai. This time we realised it was because their food supply in their habitat area was probably running low.
And this is where we reach the nub of the problem: most human-tiger conflict occurs when the animal loses its prey in the natural habitat. Tigers commonly prey on large mammals such as wild boar and deer, which tend to live in the ‘secondary’ or shrub forest rather than primary forest. The secondary forest areas tend to be much closer to villages and other human settlements. There is only one logical outcome: conflict.
The research team searches for a suitable wilderness habitat to relocate the tiger.
Much of our time at the YPHS is now taken up with finding more conservation areas for the Sumatran Tiger. This is complex, painstaking work. The sad truth is that there is so little scientific research into which parts of Sumatra might be suitable for tigers. In most cases, we are starting from scratch. With the help of funding from Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), we have been able to study the viability of the 178,000 hectare Giam Siak Kecil Bukit Batu Biosphere Reserve in Riau province as a tiger conservation area. APP has also provided generously in the rehabilitation and forthcoming relocation of the female tiger currently in our care.
To date, our tiger is safely in her enclosure where we, together with the tiger experts from Indonesia Safari Park, have been feeding her with natural prey and monitoring for any medical problems which might make relocation difficult – whilst still maintaining her wild state. The good news is that she seems in excellent health, which is only a problem for my team when it comes time for cleaning out the enclosure. She can be somewhat boisterous! Watch the video below for never before seen footage of the protected Sumatran tiger, which with our research and conservation work, will be safely returned to the wild:
Tension is always high around the time for relocation. We have to transport her several hundred miles and very carefully move to the spot where we can release her safely, complete with her own chip, mark and GPS-tracking device – a requirement under Indonesian law for this kind of operation. It can be heart-stopping at times, I can tell you!
On a hot day Bastoni helps this Sumatran Tiger keep cool as she awaits relocation to her new wilderness home.
The only real answers to the human-tiger conflict on Sumatra are relocation and ensuring the safety and sustainability of its habitat. Yet that will require substantial funding and full commitment from many different sources, far more than is currently available. The collars alone cost several thousand dollars. We know the world cares passionately about this unique animal, yet we have to find a way to channel our resources in the right way.
Despite everything, I remain an optimist. Despite the fact that there are only around 300 Sumatran tigers left, each successful relocation gives hope for the future. I know my work is fairly unique in the world, and that I am blessed to have the opportunity to help save the species.
Tags: APP, Asia Pulp & Paper, Bastoni, Bukit, conservation, endangered species, hidden camera, rainforest, Riau, Sumatera, Sumatra, Sumatran Tiger, tiger, wild, wildlife management, wildlife protection
snacksizechloe
Yeah? and what about the tiger that died recently, caught in a trap on APP concession? http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/makingwaves/endangered-sumatran-tiger-dies-in-trap-on-app/blog/35859/ – APP tries to portray itself as a company that cares about the environment and tigers but that is a complete lie, they are destroying the forest and environment where the tigers and other animals live, just to make as much money as possible and manufacture packaging that gets thrown away by the rich. I can’t believe they show a video of a forest on their homepage when the function of this company is to destroy forests. This story is greenwashing.
Aida G.
Thanks for your comment. I understand why you are skeptical. You see a video that is so dramatic and truly tragic that’s accompanied by a misleading headline. It’s designed to make you angry. If I didn’t know the real story I might feel the same way. But there is so much more to the story of that tiger.
That tiger was roaming in a healthy production forest when it was accidentally caught in a snare set by local villagers. The tiger was there because healthy production forests provide fertile hunting grounds, with abundant live prey and biodiversity. That’s also why local villagers set traps in the same area, looking for food such as deer and wild boar to feed their families.
This is a story that has played out in Sumatra for hundreds of years. The greatest threat to the Sumatran Tiger has and continues to be man. Hunters, more specifically. Some are legally setting traps to catch animals for food that accidentally snare tigers and other endangered species. Unfortunately too many are illegally poaching tigers for the price of their hides. WWF reported that illegal poaching for trade is responsible for over 78% of estimated Sumatran Tiger deaths and represents at least 40 animals per year. Here are some links to more insight on human tiger conflict in Indonesia:
1. My blog post with background on human tiger conflict – https://www.rainforestrealities.com/2011/08/03/help-us-save-the-sumatran-tiger/
2. WWF Sumatran Tiger Report – http://assets.panda.org/downloads/sumatrantigers.pdf
If you read the police report you will see that the sad truth of this particular situation is that it very likely could have been prevented. That tiger could have been saved. It is difficult to fault the villagers for doing what they’ve done for centuries, hunting to feed their families. The main issue was that the hunters failed to report the trapped tiger immediately, instead they waited several days after. Had they brought in proper authorities immediately we could have helped saved that tiger, nursed it back to health then release it back into its natural habitat.
APP has worked with tiger experts and NGOs to save tigers in need of help on several occasions. We have been called into situations to support tiger rescue efforts. We have always stepped up when needed and never once did it cross our mind to take a video of a dying tiger instead of doing everything we could to save it.
But it’s really the second part of your comment that is important to the future of the Sumatran Tiger. You have to understand Indonesia, our history as a developing nation and the current direction of our government to fully realize the proactive efforts being undertaken to balance social and economic development with environmental and wildlife conservation.
Indonesia is the fourth most populated country on the planet. It’s also a country where approximately 30 million people live in severe poverty. If you haven’t been to Indonesia, I encourage you to visit and really look around. Please also try to talk to anyone who knows about this country well. They all will tell you that helping our people rise from poverty is one of the most critical challenges we face as a nation. It’s essential for the future of our people and is absolutely critical to preserving our natural forests.
Our government has identified key industries where Indonesia has the potential to become world leaders, thus creating essential jobs and fueling state income to support social services. Pulp and paper is one of the industries where Indonesia established decrees specifically designed to encourage healthy and sustainable development.
The production land allocated for the pulp and paper industry was part of the initial spatial planning in the 1960s, not long after Indonesia reached its independence. It consists of degraded forest, which in many instances was burned out wasteland. You can see before and after photos of numerous areas that once were wasteland and now are healthy forests that serve as home to a wide range of animals and biodiversity.
The government takes a proactive, precautionary approach to land planning to help ensure the balance of economic and social development with conservation and wildlife protection. Of the approximately 191 million hectares of land in Indonesia, 27% of the entire land mass is designated for conservation. Only about 5% of that total is reserved for the pulp and paper industry. And within that a minimum of 30% of that total must be set aside by companies for conservation, community use and infrastructure. For those set aside purposes, APP pulpwood suppliers have reserved about 40% or 1 million hectares of the total in concession land. And about 400,000 hectares of that are actively managed conservation areas where APP and its pulpwood suppliers are working in a range of public-private partnerships to help ensure the long-term protection of the areas.
As I said at the beginning, I understand why you are skeptical when you see such emotionally charged videos. I hope you will take the time to get the full story before you make a final judgment on Indonesia and the role the government is playing in partnership with private industries to ensure the long-term development of our nation and protection and sustainability of our natural resources.