Bali (Indonesia): Tigers are on the brink
of extinction because only about 3,200 tigers are left in the
world on Monday, a report has said.
The still existing ones included six sub-species:
Sumatran, Bengalese, Amurese, Indo-Chinese, South Chinese, and
Malayan tigers, said the report released by the Indonesian
Forestry Ministry yesterday, a day before delegates of 13
countries met for talks to save tigers here.
The main threats facing the tigers around the world
included damage of natural habitats, drastic decrease of
natural predators, hunting and illegal trading, as well as
conflicts between tigers and people living in the tigers'
habitat, the report said.
The Bali meeting, that would officially be opened by
Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan, was held before the World
Tiger Summit in St Petersburg, Russia, from September 15 to
18, 2010.
In their a joint press statement, Chairman of the
HarimauKita (Our Tiger) Forum Hariyo T Wibisono and Director
of Bio-Diversity Conservation Harry Santoso said there are now
only about 400 Sumatran tigers left.
These Sumatran tigers account for about 12 per cent of
the world's tiger population, making Indonesia a key country
for tiger conservation in the world, they said.
"Ironically, the habitats of these Sumatran tigers have
declined up to almost 50 per cent over the past 25 years.
About 70 per cent of their remaining habitats exist outside
the conservation areas."
Wibisono said the remaining habitats were located in 20
separated forests. This condition was vulnerable to the
remaining tigers because they were not in good protection.
"To save these endangered Sumatran tigers, the entire
stakeholders in Indonesia need to work together in taking
concrete and effective conservation measures," he said.
If not, the Sumatran tigers would follow the fates of
Javanese and Balinese tigers, Wibisono said.
In paving the way for the Sumatran tiger conservation
efforts, Executive Director of WWF-Indonesia Dr Efransjah said
the remaining natural habitats should be saved.
The critical forest areas need also be restored and
sustainable development-oriented strategies should be put in
place so that the tigers have enough habitats, he said.
"How to minimize potential conflicts between tigers and
people should also be a common agenda for related parties," he
said.
Saving forests and Sumatran tiger habitats are relevant
to the Indonesian government's commitment to reduce carbon
emission from deforestations and forest degradation, Efransjah
said.
PTI
First Published: Monday, July 12, 2010, 14:08