Nurdin Hasan Jakarta Globe 16 Nov 09;
Atwo-year-old female Sumatran tiger was killed by villagers after it tried to break into a chicken coop belonging to a resident of Silolo village in South Aceh.
Syafwan, the head of South Aceh’s Natural Resources Conservation Agency, said the tiger, measuring a meter in length, tried to enter a chicken coop behind the house of Muhammad Rajab, 45, at 8:30 p.m. local time on Sunday.
“According to local residents, they wanted to capture the tiger alive,” Syafwan told the Jakarta Globe by telephone. “But since the plastic rope used to snare it was too big, the tiger suffocated and died on Monday at dawn.”
He said local residents only reported the capture and subsequent death of the tiger to conservation officials later on Monday morning.
“If only they had reported it to us sooner, perhaps the animal could have survived,” he said, adding that the tiger was then buried in accordance with local tradition.
The villagers wrapped the body in a white shroud and prayed over it with the hope that other tigers would not disturb the village.
“The funeral was conducted by local people to avoid unwanted things in the future. It was the villagers way of paying their respects to the dead tiger,” Syafwan said, adding that he and several other officials were on hand to witness the funeral.
Syafwan said that at the same time the animal was being trapped by villagers, another tiger was spotted near the house.
“But when the young tiger became ensnared by the rope, the second tiger fled into the jungle,” he said.
He said there had been a rise in the number of reports of tigers entering villages as the animals’ natural habitat was destroyed.
“Tigers are entering villages in their search for food because they are being forced from their traditional hunting grounds,” Syafwan said.
Asked if the local residents who ensnared the tiger would be reported to the police, Syafwan said conservation officials would prioritize cooperating with local communities and accommodating their traditional wisdom.
“We will continue educating the people in small ways, like not to use snares that could threaten the tiger’s life,” he said.
“We will also encourage them to report tiger activity to us,” Syafwan added.
In October, a five-year old Sumatran tiger that was injured after being ensnared in a trap set by villagers in Aceh, died a few days later as veterinarians prepared to amputate one of the animal’s legs.
