TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Back into the wild: Captured Sumatran tiger released into Mt. Leuser National Park
A female Sumatran tiger, which was captured in August following conflict with humans, was returned to her original habitat in Gunung Leuser National Park in Gayo Lues, Aceh, on Tuesday.
Change Size
A Sumatran tiger walks in an enclosure on May 23, 2019, in the Parc des Felins zoological park, in Lumigny-Nesle-Ormeaux, east of Paris. (AFP/Thomas Samson)
A female Sumatran tiger, which was captured in August following conflict with humans, was returned to her original habitat in Gunung Leuser National Park in Gayo Lues, Aceh, on Tuesday.
The tiger, known by the locals as Sri Nabilla, previously disturbed villagers in Tapus Sipagimbal of Aek Bilah district as she often appeared at the village to eat their cattle and pets.
North Sumatra Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) head Hotmauli Sianturi said the tiger had stirred up conflict with villagers since May.
A team from the agency set up a trap to capture the tiger on Aug. 22. She was caught two days after and immediately taken to Barumun Nagari Wildlife Sanctuary in Barumun, South Tapanuli, for observation.
“She was malnourished when we first found her. She’s now healthy enough to be released back into the wild in the Kappi area at the center of Leuser National Park,” Hotmauli said on Tuesday.
Hotmauli stated that his agency settled on Kappi since the environment is deemed suitable for Sumatran tigers.
“The location where Sri Nabilla was released is an open field with rocky terrain. This area is also located close to a water source, which has salt licks all over it," he said, "We also found signs of prey animals in this area for her to eat, such as deer, muntjacs and wild goats."
The BKSDA team had already cleared out traps around the location before releasing the tiger into the wild, Hotmauli said, adding that it took around 20 hours to take her from Barumun Nagari Tiger Sanctuary to the Kappi area.
“We are so glad that Sri Nabilla has been released into the wild. We hope she can adapt and survive in her new habitat.” Hotmauli added. (dpk)
