16-3-2024 (JAKARTA) Authorities in Lampung province, Sumatra, have launched a rigorous hunt for Sumatran tigers suspected of attacking villagers and farmers, commencing on March 14.
The series of attacks, spanning from late February to March 11, were reported by The Jakarta Post. Two individuals, aged 28 and 47, fell victim to the tigers in February 2024, as stated by Indonesia news outlet Antara News. Additionally, four farmers were attacked within the confines of Lampung National Park.
The most recent incident on March 11, which left one farmer injured, prompted hundreds of locals to protest at the forest rangers’ headquarters, demanding immediate action to capture the tigers, according to The Jakarta Post.
Sumatran tigers, classified as an endangered species, are perilously close to extinction due to hunting for their skins and body parts, coupled with habitat loss from deforestation, as highlighted by the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Sugeng Hari Kinaryo Adi, a ranger at Bukit Barisan National Park, disclosed suspicions of multiple tigers being responsible for the attacks.
Lampung police commissioner Umi Fadilah Astutik, in an Instagram post shared by local news outlet Tribun Lampung on March 15, revealed that a collaborative effort involving local police, forest rangers, and an “animal whisperer” is underway to locate the tigers. Astutik stated that a search team comprising 25 members, including 20 police officers, four Indonesian safari team members, and an individual reputedly adept at understanding tiger behavior, has been assembled for the mission.
The teams have deployed trap cages strategically in areas frequented by the tigers. Astutik, however, acknowledged the challenge in pinpointing the exact location of the tigers.
Previous incidents of Sumatran tiger attacks have been documented. On February 4, 2023, a Sumatran tiger suspected of injuring farmers in Aceh province was successfully captured, as reported by Kompas. The tiger was ensnared in a trap set by conservation officials within a forest reserve. Subsequently, two farmers were attacked within the same protected forest, sustaining severe injuries. It remains unclear whether the same tiger was involved in the subsequent attack.
