Forestry Police Rapid Response Unit (SPORC)-Brigade Macan Tutul of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) together with Forestry Police from Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) Authority arrested a man (58 years old) with initial “I” or “M” for allegedly being a hunter of critically endangered Sumatran tiger.
The suspect was arrested on Sunday (27th of August 27). From his hands, the officers found the carcass of a tiger with 195 centimeters long and 85 centimeters tall. Currently, the evidence is stored in the office of SPORC-Brigade Leopard.
"We hope the hunter and trader of this protected wildlife can be severely punished. Environmental crime has been included in the category of extraordinary crime equal to drug crimes," Head of Security and Protection Agency for Environment and Forestry Crimes (BPP-LHK) in Medan, Hasan Tulus told the media in Medan on Sunday as quoted by KBA.ONE.com
Meanwhile, Conservation Manager of Scorpion Foundation, Yasra Alfariza commented: "The Sumatran tiger is now on the brink of extinction. The Conservation Strategy and Action Plan of Sumatran Tiger 2007-2017 revealed that in 1996 there were an estimate of 400 individuals of Sumatran tiger but in 2007 the number decreased to an estimate of 300 individuals. This figure means that in one decade we lost 100 Sumatran tiger. Without new breakthrough in Sumatran tiger conservation, this charismatic species will likely be extinct by the end of this century."
This tiger is now stored in SPORCE Office in Medan.
Photo: from KBA.ONE.co
