Pagari Pasia Laweh Team Approached by Sumatran Tiger During Wildlife Conflict Management
The Pagari Pasia Laweh patrol team in Palupuh District, Agam District, West Sumatra was approached by a Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) whilst conducting wildlife conflict management operations in Tabuah-Tabuah on Saturday.
“We were approached by the tiger at approximately five metres distance and this was my first direct encounter with a Sumatran tiger,” said Bambang Purnama, head of the Pagari Pasia Laweh team in Lubuk Basung on Saturday.
He stated that the tiger was encountered as the Pagari team and residents of Tabuah-Tabuah, Jorong Palupuh, Nagari Pasia Laweh, Palupuh District, conducted human-tiger conflict management operations.
At that time, the Pagari Pasia Laweh team and Tabuah-Tabuah residents installed camera traps in locations where local residents had sighted the Sumatran tiger on Saturday morning (28 February). The first camera was placed at the location where residents observed the tiger emerge from vegetation on their farmland, whilst the second camera was installed on a hillside not far from there.
“When installing the camera trap, a Sumatran tiger emerged not far from our position. The tiger moved away from our nine-person group,” he said.
Head of the Maninjau District II Conservation Resort at the West Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), Ade Putra, added that local residents also sighted the Sumatran tiger before the Pagari Pasia Laweh team observed the protected animal.
“The Sumatran tiger also appeared in Ladang Ateh, Nagari Pasia Laweh and was captured on video by a resident using their mobile phone. The video of the tiger’s appearance went viral on social media,” he said.
He added that BKSDA West Sumatra installed six camera traps at wildlife corridor points based on footprints and claw marks. The cameras are for identification purposes, determining age and sex, and monitoring the movement of wildlife, particularly in response to resident reports regarding the video of the Sumatran tiger’s appearance in farmland belonging to residents.
“The cameras will be installed for several days ahead to verify whether it is the same individual,” he said.
He appealed to residents to refrain from activities in the vicinity of the Sumatran tiger sighting area, to house livestock, and to take other precautions.