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