Tiger kills illegal logger in Riau

Tiger kills illegal logger in Riau

PEKANBARU, Riau: A Sumatran tiger killed an illegal logger in
a protected forest in Siak regency, Riau province, a survivor of
the attack said on Saturday.

Willy, the 21-year-old survivor, said his friend Yudi, 19, was
mauled to death by the tiger.

The incident took place on Thursday when Willy, Yudi and
another unidentified illegal logger, who was injured in the
attack, were cutting down trees in the Zamrud forest
conservation.

"When we were working, a tiger suddenly appeared and attacked
the three of us," Willy said, adding that he was working a little
ways off from the other two.

Willy said he heard the unidentified logger cry out for help
when the tiger attack. Willy found him after he had been wounded
and carried him out of the forest.

"When I came back to the forest along with several local
villagers, the tiger had disappeared but we found Yudi dead,"
Willy said.

Head of the Riau natural resources conservation unit (KSDA)
John Kenedie could not yet confirm the tiger attack, but admitted
he had heard of it from news reports.

"Our field officers do not have any information about the
attack," he said.

Kenedie said his office had sent a team to verify the report.

If the alleged attack did take place, he said, the victim was
at fault because the forest serves as a protected habitat for
rare or wild animals.

And logging was banned there, Kenedie added. -- Antara