Aditya Rohman & Ratri M. Siniwi Jakarta Globe 4 Aug 16;
Jakarta. After preying on cattle belonging to residents in Cipangparang village in the Sukabumi district, West Java, two Javan leopards have reportedly been killed by poisoning.
Kusmara, head of the Bogor Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), said the two leopards roamed the conservation area before making their way into the settlement.
“The death of the two endangered species is still being investigated by the West Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency and we suspect that the leopards have been poisoned by the residents after seeing many of their cattle were being preyed by the wild animals,” Kusmara told state-run news agency Antara on Wednesday (03/08).
The officials are still searching for the remains of the leopards and have coordinated with the community after they were notified of the deaths.
BKSDA has encouraged residents to report the incidents, rather than kill the endangered animals.
“The Javan leopard is one of the protected wildlife species, under the Law of the Conservation of Natural Resources,” Kuswara said.
The Javan leopard is found in a number of conservation areas, including in Mount Gede Pangrango National Park, Mount Halimun Salak National Park and in the Cikepuh Wildlife conservation area in West Java.
