Indonesia : With the support the of Asia Pulp & Paper, Sumatran Tiger Preservation Foundation (YPHS) is launching one of its largest operations to date, the relocation of up to six Sumatran Tigers to a vast, protected area where they can flourish. Following a detailed relocation analysis, the tigers will likely be moved to the 178,000-hectare Giam Siak Kecil-Bukit Batu (GSK-BB) Biosphere Reserve in Riau province.

The operation is being fully funded by Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), the leading corporate supporter of YPHS. The initiative is designed to ensure that the Sumatran tiger remains part of the Indonesian landscape.

The tigers in question have been sighted by villagers in Riau province of Sumatra. While tiger-human conflict has existed in Indonesia for thousands of years, the YPHS initiative is designed to protect both villagers and tigers by relocating the tigers to less populous areas that offer conditions where the animals can thrive.

“I hope Giam Siak Kecil will be a suitable home for at least some of the tigers,” said YPHS veteran tiger conservationist Bastoni (Indonesians often use a single name). “The signs are certainly encouraging so far. It will take at least three months for the assessment to be completed. In the meantime, we will work closely with communities in Riau to ensure that human-tiger conflict is avoided.”

The 178,000-hectare GSK-BB Biosphere Reserve in Riau province promises to be an ideal natural habitat for the animals, with an abundance of fresh water and food sources. Approved by the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere project, the reserve has also become one of the last remaining natural habitats for the tigers to be studied by universities, researchers and environmental groups. The Biosphere is supported by APP and its pulpwood suppliers.

For centuries, tiger encroachments into populated areas have largely been stopped by killing or hunting down the animals. Bastoni and YPHS are part of the Tiger Working Group (TWG), which acts as an intermediary when villagers come into conflict with tiger populations. The organization has developed programs to enhance tiger survival, including education and monitoring efforts to combat illegal logging and encroachment, tiger surveillance and research using radio collars and camera traps, and programs to reduce the risk of conflict by posting signs and erecting fences to separate tigers and humans.

APP and its suppliers also support the TWG.

Once the assessments are completed and found the area suitable for tiger habitat, and the tigers have been safely captured, YPHS intends to tag each tiger with a GPS-enabled device that will allow YPHS to track their movements and determine where the tigers live. The GPS enabled devices will help ensure that they can live sustainably in their new habitat.