Pesisir Barat, Lampung (ANTARA) - The Bengkulu-Lampung Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) confirmed that a Sumatran tiger had again been seen wandering on the Tanggamus-Krui Pesisir Barat bypass road in Lampung Province.

A person passing through the Sanggi Bengkunat Road in the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park's area captured a video of the tiger, the agency's head for Lampung's Conservation Region III, Joko Susilo, remarked.

Speaking to ANTARA on being contacted from South Lampung on Monday, April 1, 2024, Susilo said it was the second time for those passing through the road section of the west coast of the Trans Sumatra Highway.

"The tiger that was quite recently spotted wandering was similar to the one a local resident recorded on video on February 9, 2024," he remarked, adding that the BKSDA would make mitigation efforts to respond to the sightings.

To this end, the agency still awaits detailed information and will coordinate with a team of personnel on the ground, he stated.

A video going viral on social media platforms showed a Sumatran tiger wandering on a road section of the west coast of the Trans Sumatra Highway near Pekon Pemirahan Village in Bengkunat Sub-district, Lampung Province.

ANTARA reported earlier that several tiger attacks had occurred in West Lampung District, Lampung Province, in February and March this year.

Last month, a resident of Sukamarga Village in Suoh Sub-district, West Lampung District, survived a Sumatran tiger's attack though he suffered serious injuries on his head.

Owing to his injuries, Samanan, 41, was admitted to Liwa Public Hospital for medical treatment, according to West Lampung Police Chief Adjunct Sen. Coms. Ryky Widya Muharam.

Samanan was attacked while working on his farmland. He fought off the tiger that attacked him and managed to escape.

Owing to the serious injuries he suffered, Samanan had been admitted to the Suoh Public Health Center before being sent to the Liwa Public Hospital, Muharam stated.

In February this year, two local residents were killed by Sumatran tigers.

On Thursday, February 8, 2024, the West Lampung police officers evacuated the body of a resident of Sumber Agung Dua Hamlet in Sumber Agung Village, Suoh Sub-district.

Gunarso, 47, died after being attacked by a Sumatran tiger. In the early morning of Thursday, February 22, 2024, another resident, only identified as S, was again attacked by a Sumatran tiger.

The 28-year-old resident of Bumi Hantati Village in Bandar Negeri Suoh Sub-district was also killed. His body part was found around 300 meters away from his farmland at 2 a.m. local time.

Sumatran tigers, the smallest of all tigers, are currently a critically endangered species only found on Sumatra, Indonesia's second-largest island.

Tigers are on the brink of extinction owing to deforestation, poaching, and conflicts between wild animals and local people due to their dwindling habitats.

Related news: Raising awareness crucial to avoid tiger-human incidents: Ecologist
Related news: Aceh: 2 caught trying to sell Sumatran tiger skin
Related news: Jambi: BKSDA cracks down on tiger skin traders

Translator: Riadi G, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2024