Tiger attacks claim 14 lives in Riau<\/p>\n
Haidir Anwar Tanjung, Pekanbaru, Riau, The Jakarta Post<\/p>\n
Sumatran tigers have killed 14 people in Riau province since
\nJanuary, 2002, say Harizal Djalil, the director of Riau-based,
\nnon-governmental organization (NGO) Tropika.<\/p>\n
He cited loss of habitat due to illegal logging and the
\nburning of forests as the main contributing factor.<\/p>\n
Ironically, the latest victim was a logger from Panipahan
\ndistrict in Rokan Hilir regency. He was attacked last Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Disappearing rainforests and the accompanying loss of wildlife
\nhave forced Sumatran tigers to search for food beyond their
\nforest habitat.<\/p>\n
\"Then, conflicts between tigers and humans can't be avoided.
\nIt must be stopped, because the conflicts have taken a toll, not
\nonly on tigers, but also on humans,\" he told The Jakarta Post on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
Harizal said tigers had attacked 17 times since January last
\nyear. Fourteen people were killed.<\/p>\n
He demanded the government work with concerned groups,
\nincluding the NGOs, to solve the problem.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Rudin, the logger who was attacked in the Panipahan
\nforest early Wednesday morning, died in a hospital in Pekanbaru
\ntwo days later.<\/p>\n
The man's grieving father, Ama, said his son died because two
\nhospitals, one in Dumi and the other in Bagansiapi-api, said they
\ncould not treat the injuries.<\/p>\n
\"It was too late to save my son's life because it took too
\nlong to bring him from the Panipahan forest to the hospital
\nhere,\" he told the Post at the hospital on Friday.<\/p>\n
Ama said Rudin, Rudin's brother-in-law Gera and a friend,
\nSyaiful, were sleeping in a makeshift tent when the tiger struck.<\/p>\n
\"He was the only one who was sleeping facedown and
\nunfortunately became the target. From stories told by the
\nvillagers, tigers usually approach from behind and never from the
\nfront,\" Ama said.<\/p>\n
The tiger fled when Rudin's screams woke his companions.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tiger-attacks-claim-14-lives-in-riau-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }