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Tigers Victim of Road Development
Jambi - A new road being built between Bangko and Sungai Penuh cities in Jambi province. This road is long awaited by the local people because landslides often happen on the old road that connects the two cities. Lately, it has been known that the new road has come across a family of Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae).
The provincial government of Jambi is opening almost 20 kilometers of road starting from 2 years ago. Its progress has reached more than 50 percent. A number of hills near Kerinci Seblat National Park (TNKS) have been split and flattened to build the road.
By late 2009, the government and several environmental activists just realized that the hills modified were the home range of Sumatran tigers.
A female tiger with her two cubs were sighted by citizens of Muara Imat subdistrict near the road at the border of Merangin and Kerinci district. Sometimes they are seen around human compounds or in the valley. Citizens also reported seeing a male tiger.
The tigers do not disturb humans, but once in a while prey on their livestock. Even when being present by the road, the tigers do not disturb people passing by.
But the presence of the tigers has caused unrest among the local people. A number of people whom just recently built stalls along the roadside are anxious and are afraid to leave their home. They are afraid to go to the fields and urged the park authorities to catch the tigers.
Head of the Technical Division of the Kerinci Seblat National Park, Agus Sitepu, said because of urges from the local people, the park has set traps. A tiger has been trapped in mid March, but got away before it could be relocated into the forest.
Dian Risdianto, Field Manager of the Tiger Protection and Conservation Unit, collaboration between Flora Fauna Indonesia (FFI) and Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation of the Ministry of Forestry said conflict between tiger and human had started in October 2009.
The conflict continued to escalate and had resulted in poaching. The park had already found three tiger traps in the hills.
New road on one side facilitates access between regions and improves the economy, but on the other side disturbs the habitat of wild animals. The tigers are now threatened by poaching in their own home range.
Relocation of cubs
The park is trying to save the tigers. Based on recommendations from several experts, the park decides to not relocate the adult female and male tigers. Relocating adult tigers is considered to be ineffective because empty home ranges will be filled by other adult tigers. Relocation will be done on the tiger cubs after they are weaned.
The conflict could also be resolved if people are educated on how to live in Sumatran tiger habitats. “People are the ones coming into the tiger’s home range, therefore they should learn to adapt,” said Dian.
People could work on their fields, but avoid working to late. People should also avoid outdoor activities after dark because tigers tend to be more active at night time. (Irma Tambunan)
Source : Kompas.com