Ade Putra, head of the West Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Agency’s (BKSDA) Maninjau Conservation Resort II, said the cub was sedated by BKSDA and Kinantan Wildlife Park veterinary teams before being safely evacuated.
“The Sumatran tiger cub fell asleep after sedation and was immediately transported,” Ade said, adding it would be taken to Kinantan Wildlife Park in Bukittinggi for observation and care.
The cub had been trapped in a snare set by residents on their farmland. BKSDA received the report from the village head around 1:00 p.m. local time on Saturday.
Authorities immediately mobilized personnel from BKSDA, Bukittinggi Police, Palupuh Police, Palupuh Military District Command (Koramil 12), Pagari Patrol, and forestry students from Riau University for the rescue operation.
The snare had ensnared the cub’s neck, front legs, and body. “The cub was alive but unable to free itself from the trap,” Ade said.
Palupuh Police Chief Muhammad Raufudding Silitonga said officers were deployed to secure the rescue, assisted by intelligence and Shabara units from Bukittinggi Police and Koramil 12 Palupuh.
He urged residents to avoid setting pig traps in plantations, which endanger protected wildlife, including Sumatran tigers and bears.
Authorities stressed that immediate reporting and coordinated action were key to the cub’s safe recovery and emphasized ongoing education about wildlife conservation in rural communities.
The incident highlights risks posed to endangered species by human activity and reinforces BKSDA’s commitment to wildlife protection and safe coexistence with local populations.
ANTARA noted that Sumatran tigers are the only surviving tiger species in Indonesia. The Bali tiger became extinct in 1937, and the Javan tiger disappeared in the 1970s.
Sumatran tigers, the smallest tiger subspecies, are critically endangered and only found on Sumatra Island, Indonesia’s second-largest island.
Their survival is threatened by deforestation, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict due to shrinking habitats.
Estimates of wild Sumatran tigers range from under 300 to around 500 at 27 locations, including Kerinci Seblat National Park, Tesso Nilo Park, and Gunung Leuser National Park.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reports their population has declined from about 1,000 in the 1970s.
A 2009 forestry ministry report identified human conflict as the primary threat, noting an average of five to 10 tigers killed annually since 1998.
Related news: Camera traps capture 42 Sumatran tigers in Bengkulu forests: Ministry
Translator: Altas M, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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