Project to protect Sumatran tigers

Project to protect Sumatran tigers

BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung: The British Tiger Foundation
International, the Tiger Foundation Asia and Taman Safari
Indonesia have initiated a project which aims to save Sumatran
tigers from extinction.

The Tiger Project's initial activities consist of collecting
data on the tiger population and their habitat, chief of the
Agency for Conservation of Natural Resources Harjanto WS said
yesterday.

The experts in charge have installed sophisticated cameras in
locations they believe are the animals' regular paths, Antara
reported.

Harjanto said encroachment by the human population is the
biggest threat to the animals, which are protected by law. The
tigers will soon become extinct unless they are bred, especially
in their original habitat.

The agency estimates that the number of Sumatran tigers in the
Way Kambas National Park is about 20. (pan)