Authorities Still Tracking Tiger That Killed a Woman in Riau

TheIndonesia.co - The Riau Center for Natural Resources Conservation (BBKSDA) continues the attempt to track a Sumatran tiger that killed a local in Pelalawan regency in Riau province.

Head of Riau BBKSDA Genman S. Hasibuan said his office had deployed a team that will gather information and install camera traps to trace and identify tracks of tiger after it killed 44-year-old Sopiana on Friday, August 19.

“A team of six headed to the location and found that the barrack [where company workers stayed in during their work in the area] is located across a canal where acacia harvest is kept,” Hasibuan said on Monday, August 22, as reported by Antara.

Victim Sopiana worked for construction company PT Peranap Timber Seha, and she was killed by a Sumatran tiger in the border of Teluk Lanus-Serapung, Kuala Lampar subdistrict, Pelalawan regency, on Friday.

“We have been coordinating with local government, the police, and local concerning institutions. The barrack that we found had been occupied by workers, including victim, for about four nights.  There were 15 workers that stayed in the barrack,” Hasibuan revealed.

According to him, prior to becoming workers’ temporary residence, the barrack had not been occupied in the last four years. And the tiger’s tracks show that the wildlife often frequented area near the barrack.

BBKSDA warned locals to avoid doing activities nearby the location and to always visit the areas in big groups.

“The location is where the tiger usually roams. Therefore, workers shouldn’t be doing any activities during dusk and before dawn because during that times, Sumatran tiger is usually busy,” Hasibuan reminded.

Riau BBKSDA will also set up cage traps at locations that are predicted to be frequented by the wildlife.