Head of National Park Management Section for Region I at the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park Authority, Hendra Koswandi, stated that the figure is still preliminary as data collection remains ongoing.
“For now, four have been recorded, and monitoring continues. This confirms that Sumatran tigers are indeed present,” Koswandi said in Jambi on Thursday.
The findings were obtained through a monitoring program conducted from September to December 2025 using camera traps in the Suo-Suo area.
During this period, the National Park Authority and its partners deployed 40 camera traps across 20 strategic sites. Each site covers an observation area of approximately 4 square kilometers, a total of around 400 hectares.
Based on the monitoring results, officers were able to identify four different individual Sumatran tigers.
Beyond tigers, the cameras recorded 32 other wildlife species, 13 of which are protected under Indonesian law. These include the Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus), Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatrensis), sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), deer (Cervidae), mouse-deer (Tragulus), pangolin (Pholidota), and binturong (Arctictis binturong).
“Bears appear in almost every data retrieval, and wild boars are also consistently seen,” Koswandi noted.
He emphasized that the presence of these key species indicates the landscape is still functioning well.
However, he acknowledged that the area faces significant pressure from encroachment and illegal hunting.
He noted that such threats persist and require continuous monitoring. To address this, the park authority continues to conduct routine patrols as a preventive measure.
“The pressure remains significant, so we carry out regular patrols. Thankfully, we have received additional personnel,” Koswandi said. “We continue to involve local communities, stakeholders, and partner organizations in safeguarding the park.”
He also called on all segments of society, especially communities living in buffer villages, to actively participate in protecting and monitoring the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park ecosystem, which spans approximately 144,223 hectares across Jambi and Riau provinces.
Related news: Camera traps capture 42 Sumatran tigers in Bengkulu forests: Ministry
Related news: Tiger cub rescued in West Sumatra after being trapped in snare
Translator: Agus Suprayitno, Primayanti
Editor: Arie Novarina
Copyright © ANTARA 2026
