Jungle justice, tigers kill illegal loggers

Jungle justice, tigers kill illegal loggers

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Dozens of illegal loggers in the forests of Senepis, Bulu Hala
and Santa Hulu in Dumai regency, Riau, have been preyed upon by
tigers over the last three years, officials said on Wednesday.

"The deaths of illegal loggers, having been attacked by
tigers, are based on reports from local people," head of the
Dumai natural resources conservation resort office Jusman told
Antara.

He said the victims were generally illegal loggers from
outside Dumai, recruited by bosses from North Sumatra and Java.

Speaking in Dumai, Jusman said the deaths were usually not
reported to local authorities as the victims were not local
residents.

The cases became known about as the dead victims included at
least seven loggers from Dumai, he added.

The death of seven locals from the neighborhoods of Sungai
Sembilan and Pelintung was recorded between August 2002 and
September this year.

Jusman admitted that the tigers had become ferocious because
their habitat was being destroyed due to uncontrolled logging,
and they were starving.

"Dumai's forests have increasingly being used for settlement
and plantations, quite apart from widespread illegal logging," he
pointed out.

Jusman continued that the Dumai forests were home to about 40
Sumatra tigers, with some posing a serious threat to local
people.

At least 10 were caught earlier this year, six of which were
sent to Bogor Safari Park, West Java, three killed and another
released in Senepis.

"We have advised local people not to take revenge against the
animals. They appear to have accepted the advice as they don't
wish to kill them, but instead safeguard and protect them,"
Jusman said.

He added the Dumai administration has declared 60,000 hectares
of the Senepis forest a zone for tiger conservation.