Indonesia: Bengkulu conservation centre evacuates tigers over transmigration housing

Antara 11 Oct 12;

Bengkulu, Sumatra (ANTARA News) - The Bengkulu Natural Resources Conservation Centre will evacuate tigers reported to be wandering around the Pelabai transmigration housing complex in the Lebong district.

According to the conservation centre`s head, Anggoro Dwi Sujiarto, the institution is yet to receive any official reports from the local community but there is information about an encounter with a wild tiger near the residential area.

The conservation centre has assured quick response to any reports of tigers roaming around the community.

Lately, tigers have often been seen roaming around housing areas because of their decreasing habitats which made hunting for food even harder for them.

The human-tiger conflict is predicted to escalate in the future due to decreasing habitats.

Anggoro said that the centre had attempted to capture one of the tigers, but the effort failed because it ran into the forest.

According to Supartono, a member of the conservation centre's staff, the local community has been asked to report any encounters with tigers along unusual tiger trails immediately to the nearest local conservation centres.

Based on the reports by locals, the conservation centre would deploy a team to the reported location of the tiger.

There are specific trails used by the tigers to migrate from their habitat and for hunting for food, namely along the North Bengkulu-Lebong roadway which is located in the Resam hill area near a tiger habitat.

People have been asked to be more vigilant while travelling close to the tiger trail, especially motorcycle riders during night or during rainy conditions, because that is usually the time the tigers move.

"These tigers usually never interact with humans who happen to pass close to their trail," Supartono added.
(U.A050/INE/KR-BSR/B003)

Editor: Priyambodo RH