The Sumatran tiger (Latin: Panthera tigris sumatrae) is a tiger subspecies whose original habitat on the island of Sumatra, is one of six tiger subspecies that survive to date and is included in the critically endangered criterion of critically endangered species in the species red list threatened by the IUCN World Conservation Agency. The wild population is estimated between 400-500 tails, mainly living in national parks in Sumatra. Recent genetic testing has revealed unique genetic markers, indicating that this subspecies may develop into separate species, when successfully sustained.
The destruction of habitat is the greatest threat to the current population. Logging continues even in national parks that should be protected. Recorded 66 Sumatran tigers were killed between 1998 and 2000.
Characteristic features
Sumatran tiger is the smallest tiger subspecies. Sumatran tiger has the darkest color among all other tiger subspecies, its black pattern is wide and the meeting distance is sometimes dempet. The male Sumatran tiger has an average length of 92 inches from head to tail or about 250 cm in length from head to toe weighing 300 pounds or about 140 kg, while the height of the adult male can reach 60 cm. Females on average have a length of 78 inches or about 198 cm and weighs 200 pounds or about 91 kg. Tiger tiger dwarfs are thinner than other tiger subspecies. Sumatran tiger skin color is the darkest of all tigers, ranging from reddish yellow to dark orange. This subspecies also has more beards and mane than other subspecies, especially male tigers. Its small size makes it easy to explore the jungle. There is a membrane on the sidelines of his finger that makes them able to swim fast. This tiger is known to corner its prey to the water, especially if the game is slow to swim. The coat turns dark green when giving birth.
Habitat
Sumatran tiger is found only on the island of Sumatra. These big cats can live anywhere, from lowland forests to mountain forests, and live in many unprotected places. Only about 400 live in nature reserves and national parks, and the rest are scattered in other areas cut down for agriculture, there are also about 250 more kept in zoos around the world. Sumatran tigers are experiencing the threat of habitat loss because of their distribution areas such as lowland forest blocks, peatland and mountain rainforests threatened with forest clearing for agricultural land and commercial plantations, as well as encroachment by logging and road construction activities. As the habitat becomes narrower and reduced, the tigers are forced to enter areas closer to humans, and often they are killed and captured for straying into rural areas or by accidental encounters with humans.
Food
Sumatran tiger food depends where it lives and how abundant its prey. As the main predators in the food chain, tigers preserve wild populations of prey under their control, so the balance between prey and vegetation they eat can be maintained. They have very keen sense of hearing and vision, which makes it a very efficient hunter. The Sumatran tiger is a solitary animal, and they hunt at night, staking their prey patiently before attacking from behind or sideways. They eat anything that can be caught, generally wild boar and deer, and sometimes poultry or fish. Orangutans can also be prey, they rarely spend time on the soil surface, and therefore rarely caught tigers. Sumatran tigers also love to eat durian.
Sumatran tigers are also able to swim and climb trees while hunting prey. The extent of the Sumatran tiger hunting ground is not well known, but it is estimated that 4-5 tigers of the Sumatran tigers require a 100 km range of roaming in lowland areas with optimal numbers of hunting animals (not hunted by humans).
Reproduction
Sumatran tiger can breed anytime. The pregnancy period is about 103 days. Usually the female tiger gives birth to 2 or 3 tiger cubs at once, and at most 6 tails. The eyes of the new tiger child are open on the tenth day, although the tiger child in the zoo is recorded with open eyes. Tiger children only drink their mother's milk for the first 8 weeks. After that they can try solid foods, but they still suckle for 5 or 6 months. The cubs first leave the nest at the age of 2 weeks, and learn to hunt at the age of 6 months. They can hunt alone at the age of 18 months, and by the age of 2 years the tiger can stand alone. Sumatran tiger can live for 15 years in the wild, and 20 years in captivity.
Trading
Trading of tiger body parts in Indonesia is currently increasingly alarming. The discovery of the tiger trade was reflected in the Profauna Indonesia survey supported by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) in July - October 2008. During the 4 months Profauna visited 21 cities / locations in Sumatra and Jakarta.
Of the 21 cities visited by Profauna, 10 cities were found to be trading of tiger body parts (48%). Traded tiger parts of the body include skin, whiskers, claws, or intact offshoots.
Prices of tiger body parts are sold vary. For the whole sold for Rp. 5 million per sheet up to 25 million per sheet. While tiger fangs are offered for Rp. 400,000 to Rp. 1.1 million.
Most of the tiger's body parts are sold in art shops, precious stones sellers, and traditional drug sellers. To trade the tiger's body parts is most prevalent in Lampung.
The trading of tiger body parts has been reported by Profauna to the Ministry of Forestry through the Director General of PHKA in April 2009, with the hope that the government can take firm steps to tackle the trade of endangered protected species. Some concrete actions have been taken by the government to combat trafficking of tiger parts in Jakarta.
Law enforcement
On August 7, 2009, the Rapid Response Polhut Unit and the Sumdaling Unit of Metro Jaya Police succeeded in rolling up a leather tiger trade syndicate in Jakarta. In addition to securing 2 skins of intact Sumatran tiger, the police also confiscated 6 preserved birds of paradise, 2 skins of forest cats, 12 heads of deer deer, 1 surili, 5 deer skulls, 1 bear head and 1 deer sambar skin. The rare animal trade syndicate is also suspected to involve a number of zoos in Java and Sumatra.
The disclosure of the tiger trade syndicate and other endangered species in Jakarta proves that Profauna's report on tiger trade is a fact. The fact is like the iceberg phenomenon, only visible on the surface only. The fact is believed to be much larger than that already terdektesi.
Protection of tigers
Trading the tiger's body parts in Indonesia is a criminal act, as it violates Law number 5 of 1990 on the Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and its Ecosystem. Based on Article 21 of Law No. 5 of 1990 points (d) that "Everyone is prohibited to trade, store or possess, skin, body or other parts of protected animals or goods made from parts of the animal or removing it from somewhere in Indonesia to another place inside or outside Indonesia ". Violators of these provisions may be subject to criminal sanctions in the form of a maximum imprisonment of 5 years and a maximum fine of 100 million.
Attention and responsibility to the fate and condition of Sumatran tiger has become the responsibility of the international world. Indonesia as one of the tiger owner countries has a huge responsibility, both politically and morally.
Politically, that is because Indonesia is a country that has signed the world's earth and environmental conventions. While morally, meaning Indonesia is required to be able to conserve its natural wealth, including one of which is a Sumatran tiger whose condition is currently very rare and endangered.
The consequences of these two responsibilities will be regarded as a great weak state if it is incapable and capable of undertaking the preservation and protection of its natural wealth. In the course of its history Indonesia is a rich country with 3 sub-species of tiger.
During the period of one century running, Indonesia has recorded lost two sub-species of tiger that ever existed: Bali Tiger (Pantera tigris balica) and Java Tiger (P.t. sondaicus). Currently that is left in both natural and in captivity location live Sumatran tiger (P.t. sumatrae). The extinction of both tigers (Java and Bali) occurs very quickly and occurs at a time when conservation has become a national policy.
This fact indicates a difficulty in conservation efforts for large animal species in human-dominated nature. It also shows how important it is to protect these animals legally in their natural habitat. Sumatran tiger as the only tiger subspecies that we can still hope to survive and exist, in fact is still faced with an uncertain future.
History has noted that there are at least three major factors causing the extinction of these two tiger brothers: (1) the narrower and fragmented forest / habitat; (2) rarer and fewer tiger prey animals due to poaching; (3) rampant hunting and illicit trafficking of tigers. Ensuring the number or population of Sumatran tiger (HS) remaining and free living in nature is not a light and easy task. All that can be done is estimates based on estimation methods and certain assumptions to be further summarized as a benchmark in establishing protection and conservation policies.
THE BASIC OF SUMATERA PRIVATE POLICY POLICY
Conservation and nature conservation in Indonesia has been established in government policy. In accordance with the principles of growth and linkage of global nature conservation formulated in "The World Conservation Strategy", Indonesia accepts it in the form of applicable conservation policies, where conservation should include the protection of life support systems, the preservation of genetic resources and the sustainable use of resources natural (SDA) biological. Law no. 4 of 1982 on Environmental Management and Law no. 5 of 1990 on the Conservation of Natural Resources and Ecosystems has given a strong commitment to the conservation of nature in Indonesia.
The Sumatran Tiger Viability Analysis "Sumatran Tiger Viability Analysis Workshop organized by the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation (PHPA) in 1992 for the wild HS population and the" Workshop on Sumatran Tiger Captive Management "by the Zoo Association All of Indonesia (PKBSI) held at the Extinct Animal Reproduction Center (ICREW) in 1992 and 1994 for tiger populations as pets.
The Sumatran tiger conservation strategy in Indonesia aims to develop, preserve conservation programs in Indonesia that ensure long-term Sumatran tiger viability in major protection areas in Sumatra. Developing ICREW and PKBSI institutional management programs and linking in-situ and ex-situ conservation activities to strengthen the recovery of Sumatran tiger populations in the wild as part of the world tiger recovery plan and IUCN / SSC / CBSG (IUCN / SSC / CBSG Tiger Globale Animal Survival Plan (GASP).
CONSERVATION PROGRAM HARIMAU SUMATERA (PKHS)
Insight, Scope And Purpose
Sumatran tiger conservation activities in TNWK are one of the manifestations of PKHS as outlined in the Sumatran Tiger Conservation Strategy in Indonesia (DG PHPA 1994), especially for tiger conservation programs in their in-situ habitats.
Activities began in Way Kambas National Park from 1995-1999 under the name of the Sumatran Tiger Project (Suma-tran Tiger Project). In 2002 HS's conservation activities became a program; Sumatran Tiger Conservation Program (PKHS / STCP) PKHS is a program of cooperation in the field of HS conservation between the Directorate General. PHKA, Ministry of Forestry with The Tiger Foundation (TTF), Canada and The Sumatran Tiger Trust, UK as one manifestation of a shared sense of responsibility for the fate of present and future tigers in Indonesia. The emphasis of the program of cooperation includes all activities that are oriented towards rescue efforts and tiger population in their natural habitat (in-situ), such as: tiger population dynamics study, ecological needs, mapping and distribution of living areas, technology transfer, public awareness campaign as well as the development of socioeconomic community approaches to rescue HS.
The Purpose of Sumatran Tiger Conservation Program:
Support PHKA in preserving HS in its natural habitat.
Integrate in-situ and ex-situ conservation activities to support the Sumatran Tiger conservation program
Developing HS's conservation database in Indonesia.
Increase public awareness on the importance of HS conservation.
Improving the quality of human resources scope DG PHKA, especially in the field of conservation of HS and generally Conservation of Natural Resources and Ecosystems.
Scope of PKHS Activities:
Identification and inventory of HS's ecological problems in TN and the conflict issue between tigers and humans and their efforts to mitigate them.
Preparation and refinement of tiger handling software problem (tiger hanling protocol problem).
Survey and monitor populations, habitats and tiger prey
Protection and protection of tigers in their habitats through activities such as patrols, development of anti-poaching and illegal trade networks, and assisting law enforcement.
Build and develop Sumatran Tiger conservation database (GIS and Website)
Development of cooperation network with government agencies, local NGOs (local, central) and other relevant parties, in order to succeed PKHS.
Public education about HS conservation in the area around TN.
The empowerment of the pen-yangga community to reduce the pressure on the TN.
Improvement of technical and managerial capability of Ministry of Forestry personnel, especially in the field of conservation of HS and SDA Hayati and Ecosystem.
Completion of facilities and infrastructure that support PKHS
A feasibility study for the construction of the HS Rehabilitation Center (semi Natural Tiger Rescue Center) in Sumatra.
Study aspects of HS and socio-economic biology of the surrounding communities of TN.
Site program: Waykambas National Park Hall Lampung, TNBTP Riau - Jambi and Sei Senepis Forest, Dumai City - Riau Sumatran Tiger Research is one of the many natural or wildlife resources that can be recovered. In fact, the number of HSs is currently low and the status is endangered. The presence of HS remaining in its natural habitat is a very important guide and capital that can be developed in its conservation efforts.
Furthermore, to obtain information and data accurately about the Sumatran Tiger is needed a research effort, both on the Tiger Sumater inside and outside the conservation area. The research activity is the first step in the effort of Sumatran Tiger conservation aims to get general data about Sumatran Tiger existence in a location. From the data and general information can be used as reference of the next activity that is: census of popu-lasi, study behavior, roaming area, competition with other animals (fellow predators), the carrying capacity of prey and habitat.
If the data can be collected properly, it will facilitate the process of further conservation efforts thoroughly. Some of the methods / methods developed in the research activities are:
Secondary mark survey method
Use of automatic camera system
Geographic information systems (GIS),
Rapid Survey (rapid assisment)
Sumatran Tiger Security Program in Habitat
As a manifestation of the responsibility of securing tigers and their habitats, PKHS establishes tiger safeguard units, hereinafter called Tiger protection Unit (TPU). As an embryo, the establishment of this security unit has actually been dragged since 1997/1998 (STP) and was only formally established at the end of 2003 (Agsutus 2003) in collaboration with the Indonesian Rhinoceros Conservation Program in TNWK. Two TPU units are subsequently joined with 5 (five) pre-existing RPU units, so there are 7 (seven) Tiger-Rhinoceros security units. The operational fund for the field of 2 TPU units becomes the obligation of PKHS while the operational management in the field is coordinated by the RPU.
Community Awareness Program: Education and Counseling and Improvement of Socio-Economic Community.
From day to day the fate and survival of HS in nature is far from safe. Narrowing of land due to encroachment of conservation areas and tiger hunting and its prey continues to take place. Conservation efforts that we do is still far from the amount of challenges faced. Being real, though small would be more valuable to postpone a species extinction than just allowing HS to live only.
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