West Sumatra BKSDA prepares tranquilliser option for Sumatra tiger evacuation

Lubuk Basung - The Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) of West Sumatra has prepared the option of using tranquilliser darts to evacuate a Sumatra tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) that briefly approached residents in Matua Katiak, Nagari Matua Hilia, Matua Subdistrict, Agam Regency, on Tuesday (5/5). “We have prepared tranquilliser shots, and this is the option we are taking to evacuate the Sumatra tiger that approached a group of residents,” said the Head of Region II Maninjau Conservation Resort, BKSDA West Sumatra, Ade Putra, in Lubuk Basung on Wednesday. He explained that BKSDA West Sumatra deployed veterinarians to the location after receiving reports of a group of residents sheltering in a rice field hut following the arrival of the protected animal on Tuesday (5/5) afternoon. However, the tiger was no longer at the site and had moved towards a neighbouring nagari (village). In response, BKSDA West Sumatra, along with the Baringin Nagari Patrol Team (Pagari) and Salareh Aia Pagari, conducted monitoring patrols at night in the area. “We carried out monitoring patrols until the early hours and found no signs of the animal’s presence. We also installed trap cages at the location,” he said. He added that BKSDA West Sumatra also provided trap cages to capture the tiger. “We have installed trap cages at the location where the tiger was spotted by residents in Taruyan, Nagari Tigo Balai, Matur Subdistrict, since Sunday (2/5),” he said. Previously, BKSDA West Sumatra received reports from the nagari government regarding a group of residents approached by a Sumatra tiger while in the fields, prompting them to shelter in a hut. Upon receiving the report, BKSDA West Sumatra immediately went to the site to evacuate the residents along with members of the Matua Koramil, Matua Police Sector, and the nagari government. “We drove the tiger away from the residents, and they were immediately evacuated to the settlement, about two kilometres from their fields,” he said. He acknowledged that the individual tiger monitored in the area was a single young female. The young tiger interacted with officers several times at the sighting locations.