Five Tigers Observed In The Muara Merang Conservation Area, South Sumatra

PHOTO VIA BETWEEN

PALEMBANG - Five Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) were observed in the Conservation Area of the Muara Merang Production Forest Management Unit, Bayung Lencir District, Musi Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatra, in good health.

Forest Sustainability Head of PT Rimba Hutani Mas (RHM), Bambang Abimanyu said the condition of the five tigers was observed through camera traps installed at six points which were inspected every 40 days.

"This tiger's age ranges from 2-6 years," said Bambang as quoted by Antara, Thursday, December 30.

Of the five tigers, three of them have been named by the conservation team of the Muara Merang Forest Conservation Management Unit (KPHP), namely Abhimanyu, Metia and Rolf.

So far, based on the research results of the conservation team, it is known that the range of the tiger ranges from 11 kilometers per day.

They are estimated to have an adequate supply of feed because their home range is in the landscape of the Sembilang protected forest area (on the border of South Sumatra and Jambi) which is relatively unspoiled.

The tiger's habitat is in the Merang conservation area which covers 18,000 hectares. This area is also included in the area of Berbak-Sembilang National Park and Dangku Wildlife Sanctuary.

In this conservation area, the habitat for native fauna and flora is still maintained, including the senyulong crocodile, he said.

So far, there have been no reports of human-tiger conflicts in the area, especially since the distance between protected forest areas and residents is quite far, which is 10 kilometers.

However, in an effort to maintain the survival of these animals, the conservation team always routinely conducts mobile patrols, outreaches to the surrounding community and actively combs snares.

The snare comb has been carried out continuously since 2016 to prevent poaching of tigers and other protected fauna.

He said that the efforts to protect animals had actually been carried out by PT RHM as APP Sinar Mas' supplier partner since 2013 because it has a concession area in the Sembilang Landscape area of around 67 thousand hectares.

"Sometimes we see tiger tracks, and there are also employees who have direct encounters," he said.