Healed, The Tiger Cub 'Danau Putra' Was Released To Gunung Leuser National Park

JAKARTA - The Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) released a Sumatran tiger cub (Panthera tigris sumatrae) that had been recovering after being caught in a snare in the Gunung Leuser National Park (TN) forest area on Saturday, January 30.

"After going through observation and a thorough health examination and the wound was declared healed, the veterinarian team declared that the cub was fit to be released back into its natural habitat," said Head of BKSDA Aceh Agus Arianto in Banda Aceh as reported by Antara, Sunday, January 31.

Agus said that the tiger cub, named 'Putra Lake', was released into the Gunung Leuser National Park (TN) forest with the help of the TNGL Center, police and military apparatus, the Leuser Conservation Forum, and the local camat.

Lake Putra tiger cubs were found with their right forelegs entangled in the gardens of residents of Gulo Village, Darul Hasanah District, Southeast Aceh Regency, on January 22, 2021.

"The snare in the form of a wire sling caused severe injuries to the cub when it was found. This was due to the movement of the cub in the form of releasing the snare around its leg," said Agus.

The BKSDA team and their partners then evacuated the cubs to Kutacane, the capital of Southeast Aceh Regency, so that they could undergo treatment.

According to Agus, the male tiger cub, aged between one and 1.5 years, weighing about 50 kilograms, was released into a forest area about three kilometers from where he was caught in a snare. The release locations for tiger cubs are determined based on the results of technical studies and input from the local community.

"The local people believe the tiger cubs are residents of the Gunung Leuser National Park and must be returned to their original habitat," he said.

Agus explained that the Sumatran tiger is one of the wild animals that must be protected under the Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation. The Aceh BKSDA appealed to the community around the forest area to help preserve the Sumatran tiger by not destroying the forest habitat for wildlife.

According to the provisions, protected animals may not be caught, injured, killed, stored, owned, maintained, and traded alive or dead. The laws and regulations also prohibit the installation of snares, poisons, and high-voltage electric fences that can cause the death of protected wildlife.