BKSDA Sets Noose To Catch Tigers Attacking South Aceh Residents

Aceh BKSDA officers, the Leuser Conservation Forum (FKL), and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) inspect tiger traps in the oil palm plantation area of Naca Village, South Aceh. (BETWEEN PHOTOS/Syifa Yulinnas/wsj)

BANDA ACEH - The Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) is trying to catch a Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) that attacks residents in South Aceh Regency using several traps.

"We have installed box traps (trap boxes) at three points for rescue, so that the community is safe and also the wildlife itself," said Aceh BKSDA Head Agus Arianto as quoted by Antara, Wednesday, February 9.

The tiger keeps moving, we also follow the tiger's movement in installing the three box traps," said Agus.

According to him, traps were installed at places where tigers moved based on observations using surveillance cameras and reports from field officers.

Previously, a 67-year-old farmer in Seulekat Village, Bakongan Timur District, South Aceh Regency, was attacked by a tiger on Monday, February 7 afternoon, while harvesting oil palm in his garden.

The farmer's right arm, named Amrimus, was injured by the tiger's claws, so he had to be treated at a health facility.

"The victim had a reflex and hit the tiger with a palm harvesting tool, finally the tiger ran away from it," said the Head of the Conservation Section for Region II Subulussalam BKSDA Aceh Hadi Sofyan.

Agus said BKSDA made efforts to prevent and handle wildlife conflicts with residents in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and conservation organizations.

According to him, BKSDA also provides counseling regarding efforts to prevent conflicts with wild animals to residents around forest areas.

"For example, when carrying out activities in the garden, you are not alone, accompanied, do not carry out activities too late, because we anticipate the active hours of animals," he said.