Indonesia has been taking serious steps in tiger conservation recently, including the release of two Sumatran tigers, much to the dismay of local residents in the Pengekahan village in West Lampung.

Villagers say they are unable to carry out daily activities ever since the two tigers were released from Aceh earlier this month.

Two other tigers were released in the same area in 2008 and villagers claim the tigers eat their livestock.

“No one goes out at night,” said community leader Khusairi Raja Muda.

The residents have set up their village on the border of the area where the two pairs of tigers have been released but the West Lampung government promised to relocate everyone after the first release.

West Lampung Regent Mukhlis Basri says he is still waiting for a decision from the Forestry Ministry on the relocation area for the 164 families.

But the residents, from Javanese, Sundanese, Balinese, Bugis and Batak groups aren’t willing to move, according to the community’s leader.

Conservationists have long opposed the Tampang-Belimbing area, located in the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, as a designated Sumatran tiger conservation centre, as it borders the village, which has its own customary law.

The Sumatran tiger is currently classified as critically endangered with perhaps as few as 300 remaining in the wild.

By Taylor Turner

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