A second Sumatran tiger, most likely poisoned, was found dead in less than a week in Indonesia, authorities said on Monday. An illustration of the threat hanging over this protected species with only a few hundred individuals left.
"There were no traps or injuries, so we suspect poisoning," said Hadi Sofyan, head of the South Aceh province conservation agency on the island of Sumatra. , who discovered the feline carcass near a farm. An autopsy is underway, he said.
Poisoned by farmers
In these two recent cases, the big cats were targeted after attacking cattle, against a background of increasing conflicts between humans and animals in this archipelago of Southeast Asia.
Last week, the buried carcass of a male tiger was found inside Batang Gadis National Park in the north of Sumatra Island. Residents, including a village chief, said the feline was poisoned by farmers who accused him of killing their cattle. A tigress also had to be transported Monday from a plantation in west Sumatra to a protected area.
Forests felled for the benefit of oil palm plantations
Conflicts between humans and animals often arise when forests are cut down for oil palm plantations, reducing the habitat of tigers and pushing them to approach areas occupied by peasants.
This year, numerous attacks of inhabitants by these wild animals were reported in Sumatra. Almost 80% of the deaths of Sumatran tigers are nonetheless attributed to poaching, according to Traffic, an international organization which combats animal trafficking.
It is one of the most endangered species in the world, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which estimates less than 400 the number of its representatives still present in the wild.