WWF launches campaign in Indonesia to save Sumatran tiger

Antara 11 Feb 10;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Indonesia is to launch a public campaign in support of efforts to conserve the Sumatran tiger, a spokesperson said.

The campaign as part of WWF`s "Year of the Tiger" program would be held in Jakarta February 12-13 and involve many elements of society, including environmental activists, governmental agencies handling environmental matters and the business community, Desnarita Murni, a WWF Indonesia coordinator, said here Thursday.

The purpose of the campaign was to persuade the general public to develop concern for the fate of the Sumatran tiger which was the only surviving tiger species in Indonesia, she said.

"The number of Sumatran tigers living in the wild in Indonesia has now declined to about 400, So we must all do our best to preserve them, if we don`t want the species to die out," Murni said.

The Sumatran tiger had become endangered because of the high frequency of tiger-hunting activity.

"Trade in tiger body parts is continuing. More and more tiger habitats are being destroyed by human activities. So, if we don`t take joint actions, their extinction will only be a matter of time," she said.

WWF had also invited the government, the business world and other parties to take part in the campaign, "Preservation of our bio-diversity requires the cooperation of all. WWF cannot work without the support of other parties," Murni said.(*)