Sumatran tiger under threat
Sumatran tiger under threat
Jon Afrizal, Muko Muko, Bengkulu
The population of the Sumatran tiger (panthera tigris
Sumatraensis) in the forest of Muko Muko regency, Bengkulu
province, is progressively dwindling. If in the past decade the
tiger population numbered in the dozens, now fewer than 10 are
thought to remain due to rampant illegal logging and poaching,
which continue unabated. Only eight tigers are living in their
natural habitat in the conservation forest managed by PT Agro
Muko, a private plantation company.
There were only six tigers not long ago, aged in their teens
and measuring up to 1.5 meters in length. Their numbers rose to
eight after two females gave birth to a cub each in the middle of
the year. "There could be other tigers not accounted for,"
general manager of PT Agro Muko, Yazid Ibrahim, told The Jakarta
Post.
The wildlife habitat managed by PT Agro Muko was designated a
conservation area when the company was issued a forest concession
and began operations in 1988. The conservation area encompasses
seven locations of 2,235 hectares of the total 22,000 hectares of
forest concession for oil palm and rubber plantations.
The Muko Muko forest preserve on is on the forests' western
flank and the Kerinci Seblat National Park on the eastern flank.
Various species of trees can be found, such as the sungkai,
pulai and mahogany, measuring more than 40 centimeters in
diameter and reaching dozens of meters tall. The area is also
home to a number of bird species, like the hornbill and
turtledove.
The tigers depend totally on prey for food, such as the deer
and wild boar which abound in the area.
The agricultural officer of PT Agro Muko, Sukardi, said
problems such as poaching and illegal logging threatened the very
existence of tigers in the area. At least two tigers are thought
to be killed in the conservation area each year for their body
parts, such as skin, teeth and whiskers. The latest poacher was
arrested early this year.
Besides rampant illegal logging in Tanahretak, which is
located outside the conservation area, the nearby freshwater
Lebar Lake, measuring 65 hectares, in which crocodiles live, is
also prone to environmental damage.
"Illegal logging methods, such as digging water channels, has
gradually drained water from the lake," he said.
He also said that logging activities in various locations had
led to conflict between man and tiger, with at least one attack
on humans every year. No data is available on the exact number of
lives claimed.