A new study has provided a rare glimmer of hope for the Sumatran tiger, the last subspecies of tiger still in existence in Indonesia.
Reports that tiger populations are declining in many parts of its range paint a bleak and all too familiar picture. Of the 13 tiger-range countries recognised today, the Indonesian archipelago has already lost two distinct subspecies from the islands of Bali and Java.
Reliably determining where tigers are present within dense tropical jungle is challenging because their secretive behaviour and excellent camouflage naturally make them difficult to detect. But, for the past three years, eight NGOs have joined forces to carry out the first ever Sumatra-wide survey, in collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry.
Hariyo Wibisono of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and chairman of the Sumatran Tiger Forum, who led the project, said: ‘This survey is a milestone for Sumatran tigers. The results provide the most up-to-date and reliable information ever collected for this critically endangered species.'
The comprehensive study found that while more than 70 per cent of forest patches surveyed were occupied by tigers, its status varied greatly between the different landscapes.
Speaking about the newly created 3.3 million hectare Leuser-Ulu Masen landscape in Aceh Province, co-author Dr Matthew Linkie from Fauna & Flora International explained: ‘This study puts Aceh's previously unsurveyed forest firmly on the map as a global priority for wild tigers in Asia.'
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