Oil Palm Farmers In South Aceh Wounded By Tiger Claws, BKSDA Prepares Arrest Operations With Anesthesia Weapons

Illustration-Aceh BKSDA officers, Leuser Conservation Forum (FKL) and WCS monitoring tiger traps (DOK ANTARA)

ACEH - The Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) has prepared a stun gun to catch the Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) which attacks residents in South Aceh Regency.

Head of the Aceh BKSDA Agus Arianto said the BKSDA medical team and the Leuser Conservation Forum (FKL) on Friday had headed to the place where the Sumatran tiger attacked residents in the Bakongan Timur sub-district, South Aceh.

"We have gone to the field to rescue animals by shooting anesthetics," said Agus in Banda Aceh, Antara, Tuesday, February 22.

Agus said that the Aceh BKSDA had also installed three trap boxes to catch tigers that attacked residents. However, these efforts have not yielded results.

Therefore, he continued, the officers decided to arrest the Sumatran tiger by shooting drugs. Agus said that the tiger kept moving and was last seen on Raya Island, East Bakongan.

"Until today, the team is still in the field trying to save by shooting an anesthetic," said Agus.

A 67-year-old farmer in Seulekat Village, East Bakongan, South Aceh, was attacked by a tiger last Monday 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. BKSDA has set a trap and sent a handler to catch the tiger.

"We are still pursuing, guarding if (the tiger) is still in the APL area (another use area), unless this animal has entered the forest area," said Agus.