Indonesia: Sumatran tiger rescued from trap may undergo leg amputation

Antara 4 Apr 14;

Bengkulu (ANTARA News) - A Sumatran tiger (Phantera tigris sumatrae) may have one of his legs amputated due to infection after being entangled by a hunters sling snare trap in Bengkulu.

Veterinarian of Bengkulus Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA) Erni Suyanti Musabine said here on Friday the tigers front right leg had to be amputated to prevent the spread of bacterial infection.

"It must have been entangled for three days," she said.

Despite the defective front right leg, the tiger was in good physical condition. It had neat fur and his weight was proper.

The three-year old female tiger was 1.5 meters long and weighed 70 kilograms.

Antibiotic was used to prevent the spread of the bacterial infection to the other parts of the tigers body.

The tiger was now kept in the BKSDA office and will receive follow-up treatment on Saturday, April 5.

Previously, the BKSDA received report about the trapped tiger on Tuesday, April 2, from an official of the local Forestry Office, who was measuring the perimeter of the commercial permit (HGU) for PT Dinamika Selaras Jaya, a private oil palm plantation company in Beriang Tinggi Village, Tanjung Kemuning Subdistrict, in the Kaur district of Bengkulu.

The BKSDA team began the rescue operation on Thursday morning as it was difficult to conduct the operation during the night.

The sling snare traps from poachers or even local residents had become a serious threat for wildlife in Sumatra.

Last year in February, another female Sumatran tiger was also found entangled by sling snare trap in Bengkulu.

Due to severe infection, the ill-fated big cat died two months later. The local BKSDA veterinarian said one of the tigers rear legs had a pinched nerve after being entangled on the sling snare trap. It also suffered from liver disease that worsened its condition.***3***

(Reporting by Helti Marini Sipayung/Uu.INE/KR-BSR/O001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH