Arrested poachers killed over 100 tigers
8:10 AM | 
Posted by
Arpanjot Singh Chawla
Two poachers responsible for the deaths of over 100 Sumatran tigers have been arrested in Bengkulu City,
southwest Sumatra said Fauna & Flora International (FFI) on the eve of International Day for Biological
Diversity.
“The poachers were caught in possession of the pelt and skeleton of a Sumatran tiger,” said Debbie Martyr,
Field Coordinator for FFI’s Kerinci Tiger Protection Programme.
“As a critically endangered species loss of even one of these animals can impact on the survival of the
species.”
The arrests follow a two month undercover investigation lead by rangers from FFI’s Tiger Protection and
Conservation Unit with back up from Bengkulu City police.
The two men arrested were a 57 year old man and his son from Tunggang village of Muko Muko district,
northern Bengkulu. Both men were known to the unit as professional tiger poachers active in three districts of
Bengkulu and West Sumatra province. The older suspects advised the undercover investigator that he had
poached more than 100 Sumatran tigers in a career spanning more than 30 years.
“Currently we estimate the Sumatran tiger population at around 500. There could be more tigers out there but
regardless these poachers have had a negative impact on this species.” Ms Martyr said.
The suspects are thought to have traded poached tigers to Pekanbaru in Riau province and to Padang city in
West Sumatra province and are known to have links to nationally significant illegal wildlife traders.
This law enforcement action was the third conducted by the unit in the last six months.
In November 2009, teams arrested two men in possession of a tiger pelt and skeleton – one a known tiger
dealer, the second a professional poacher who also traded tigers – after a lengthy and dangerous undercover
investigation by FFI’s tiger rangers. Both men were subsequently sentenced to 18 months custodial terms.
In the following month, a combined action between the FFI Tiger Protection and Conservation Programme
and local police resulted in the arrest of a third tiger dealer and seizure of a second tiger skin. The man
arrested had been under active surveillance since late 2008 and was sentenced to a two years six months
custodial sentence by Bangko district court.
Fauna & Flora International has been working in Kerinci-Seblat National Park, Sumatra since 1995. Tiger
Protection and Conservation Units comprising rangers recruited from forest edge communities and led by a
park ranger on full-time secondment to the programme, arrest offenders and enforce the law within the
national park and outside the forest.
southwest Sumatra said Fauna & Flora International (FFI) on the eve of International Day for Biological
Diversity.
“The poachers were caught in possession of the pelt and skeleton of a Sumatran tiger,” said Debbie Martyr,
Field Coordinator for FFI’s Kerinci Tiger Protection Programme.
“As a critically endangered species loss of even one of these animals can impact on the survival of the
species.”
The arrests follow a two month undercover investigation lead by rangers from FFI’s Tiger Protection and
Conservation Unit with back up from Bengkulu City police.
The two men arrested were a 57 year old man and his son from Tunggang village of Muko Muko district,
northern Bengkulu. Both men were known to the unit as professional tiger poachers active in three districts of
Bengkulu and West Sumatra province. The older suspects advised the undercover investigator that he had
poached more than 100 Sumatran tigers in a career spanning more than 30 years.
“Currently we estimate the Sumatran tiger population at around 500. There could be more tigers out there but
regardless these poachers have had a negative impact on this species.” Ms Martyr said.
The suspects are thought to have traded poached tigers to Pekanbaru in Riau province and to Padang city in
West Sumatra province and are known to have links to nationally significant illegal wildlife traders.
This law enforcement action was the third conducted by the unit in the last six months.
In November 2009, teams arrested two men in possession of a tiger pelt and skeleton – one a known tiger
dealer, the second a professional poacher who also traded tigers – after a lengthy and dangerous undercover
investigation by FFI’s tiger rangers. Both men were subsequently sentenced to 18 months custodial terms.
In the following month, a combined action between the FFI Tiger Protection and Conservation Programme
and local police resulted in the arrest of a third tiger dealer and seizure of a second tiger skin. The man
arrested had been under active surveillance since late 2008 and was sentenced to a two years six months
custodial sentence by Bangko district court.
Fauna & Flora International has been working in Kerinci-Seblat National Park, Sumatra since 1995. Tiger
Protection and Conservation Units comprising rangers recruited from forest edge communities and led by a
park ranger on full-time secondment to the programme, arrest offenders and enforce the law within the
national park and outside the forest.
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