Sumatran tigers habitat threatened by hot spots
Sumatran tigers habitat threatened by hot spots
3 March 2006
published by www.antara.co.id
Pekanbaru, Riau — Tens of Sumatran tigers living in the conserved forest area of Senepis, Dumai city, Riau, are in danger of being killed following the discovery of a number of hot spots in the area, a local enironment official said on Thursday (3/2).
“The hot spots must be put out , otherwise the tigers` habitat will be threatened,” the head of the local Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedal), Khairul Zainal, said.
He said the hot spots which had been spotted by satellite would become a serious danger to wild life if the area if they were not extinguished.
There was also a peat moss field in the area. “There is also critical land in the area due to illegal logging,” he added.
He said his office had deployed a 12-member fast reaction team to douse hot spots in some areas.
According to a report from the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF), Indonesia`s last tiger species – the Sumatran tiger – is on the brink of extinction.
At least 50 tigers had been caught or killed illegally each year between 1998 and 2002, the report by campaign groups TRAFFIC and WWF said recently. The latest tiger population estimates showed there were only 400 to 500 tigers left on Sumatra Island in 1999.
