Indonesia: Sumatran Tiger Hides Seized in Raid

Ratri M. Siniwi Jakarta Globe 3 Aug 16;

Jakarta. Jambi Provincial Police teamed up with the Jambi Province Natural Resources Conservation Agency seized two Sumatran tiger hides and ten other preserved protected animals in Sumatra from a local couple.

State news agency Antara reported the two suspects, identified as 49-year-old Muhammad Nasution and 45-year-old Warsilah, were arrested at their South Jambi sub-district home on Tuesday (02/08).

The couple allegedly run a ring buying protected wildlife and reselling secondary products, such as preserved skins, for hundreds of million of rupiah to upper class consumers.

During the raid, police found preserved animals, including a clouded leopard, a bobcat, a pangolin, the head of a spotted deer, five Sambar deer heads and two Sumatran tiger hides.

The police also found evidence of wildlife being preserved in the backyard of the home.

Sumatran tigers are highly threatened by the illegal wildlife trade, with a significant decrease in their population over the years. Recently, World Wildlife Fund Indonesia revealed there are only 371 Sumatran tigers left in the wild.