20 June 2014, Mongabay news - Conflicts between tigers and humans will continue to increase unless the  destruction and loss of Sumatra's forests is halted, warns Dr. Erni Suyanti  Musabine, a wildlife conservation veterinarian with Indonesia's Ministry of  Forestry. According to Yanti, the critically endangered Sumatran tiger  (Panthera tigris sumatrae) traditionally lived deep in the forest, but  habitat loss forces them closer to human habitation where they are at risk of  being hunted or contracting diseases, and are increasingly becoming a nuisance  or threat to humans.

"Tigers are ordinarily solitary animals, but they  are losing their fear of humans as they are forced to hunt closer to villages  due to the decrease in wild prey," Yanti told Mongabay. This proximity to  villages presents tigers with appealing food sources such as goats, cows and  other domesticated animals. In turn, the villagers respond by attempting to hunt  or trap the tigers.

Yanti, an agile woman of slight build, received her  veterinary degree from one of Surabaya's leading Universities, and has worked as  a wildlife veterinarian for 10 years. Since 2007, she has participated in over  12 tiger rescues in Bengkulu province in southwest Sumatra. Her team often finds  the tigers caught in traps or snares—their health seriously deteriorated. During  one rescue, Yanti was forced to amputate the foot of a tiger that could not be  released from a trap.

If her team is called into a rescue, Yanti must  respond, regardless of whether she is feeling tired or sick. Minutes count, as  the team races to rescue the tiger before it dies from its injuries, or is taken  by hunters.

"We have rescued tigers that have been trapped, shot,  stabbed, and poisoned, as well animals who have attacked villagers, eaten  livestock, taken up residence in fields and gardens, or otherwise exhibited  abnormal behavior," said Yanti. "The hunting of tigers often increases during  the holy month of Ramadan and the Idul Fitri holiday, since the hunters know the  forest patrols are reduced during this time."

According to Yanti, four issues must be addressed to ensure effective tiger  conservation: 1) the shrinking of tiger habitat by human activities, 2) the  inefficacy and lack of enforcement of laws preventing the illegal hunting and  trade of tigers and their body parts 3) a lack of inter-agency collaboration  between multiple stakeholders, and 4) the loss of species that tigers normally  prey upon.

One possible solution which can help solve several of these,  would be to establish a sanctuary well away from human populations where tigers  would be free to roam in the wild.

"Although there are already tiger  conservation programs, which protect the animals by placing them in zoos, this  is not a permanent solution," Yanti believes. "A tiger's natural habitat is in  nature, not in a cage. If a tiger is kept in a cage, its behavior can be  changed, permanently."

For Yanti, the ideal solution would be to create a  Tiger sanctuary for those animals who can not be returned to the wild. Located  within the tiger's natural habitat, the sanctuary should be far from  settlements, and still contain an abundance of the tiger's natural prey. Since  animals with disabilities or amputations are still important sources of genetic  stock, this sanctuary would be vital for population recovery.

Yanti told Mongabay that she has already found several donors who would be  willing to contribute to this project. However, the biggest issue is sorting out  the bureaucracy to determine which agencies need to approve the project, and to  follow the proper legal route necessary for ensuring the sanctuary's lasting  success.

"The key," said Yanti, "will be inter-agency cooperation, and  the commitment and hard work of all stakeholders."

Source: http://news.mongabay.com/2014/0620-lbell-tiger-conflict.html?n3ws1ttr