New plans to protect native tigers and elephants in Sumatra

by Amy Judd | August 28, 2008 at 03:46 pm

1195 views | 8 Recommendations | 14 comments

There will be new measures put in place to conserve the numbers of tigers and elephants on the island of Sumatra.

The Tesso Nilo National Park will be doubled in size, and is an important area of forest for both the tigers and elephants.

The Park in Riau Province contained only 38,000 hectares of forest when it was created in 2004 but this will be increased to 86,000 hectares by the end of this year.

Riau Province has the highest deforestation rate of any province in Indonesia suffering an 11 per cent loss between 2005 to 2006. It has lost more than 4m hectares of forest in the past 25 years which represents almost two-thirds of the original forest.

The province is home to an estimated 210 Sumatran elephants - the remainder of an 84 per cent population decline in the past 25 years - and 192 Sumatran tigers after a 70 per cent loss over the same period.

It is estimated there are 60-80 elephants and 50 tigers within the new boundaries of the Park which is one of the last strongholds for both species.

With more than 4,000 plant species recorded so far, the forest of Tesso Nilo has the highest lowland forest plant biodiversity known to science with more than 4,000 plant species recorded so far and many more still to be chronicled.

This is great news in the field of endangered species and conservation of two of our planets' most endangered and beautiful species.
The forest itself will take some work to protect itself, but officials are hopeful this can be accomplished.
Other areas of Sumatra need help, but one step at a time I think.

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World_Groove

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 16:56 on August 28th, 2008

a little hope in the mound of despair.

lgal3824

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 18:42 on August 28th, 2008

amyjudd, I like this story. It's good stuff.

With all of the forcus on "Global" issues, animal conservation seems to takes a back seat, when it should be treated as "Equally" important in order to maintain a natural balance. I will add a photo of "My Friend" Natashia. You will see in her eyes just how important this issue is!

danesller0127

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 22:15 on August 28th, 2008

amyjudd, I like this story. It's good stuff.

sylverwytche

at 09:43 on August 29th, 2008

This was taken at the South Lakes Wild Animal Park, UK

sylverwytche has contributed a photo to this story.

jphank

at 13:00 on August 29th, 2008

Sumatran tiger at Point Defiance Zoo

jphank has contributed a photo to this story.

Delkarm

at 13:05 on August 29th, 2008

Taken in the Tierpark Friedrichsfelde Zoo, Berlin

Delkarm has contributed a photo to this story.

kesia_amanda

at 19:17 on August 29th, 2008

It was on the car track in Safari zoo when we see this beautiful tiger.

kesia_amanda has contributed a photo to this story.

mediaplus

at 19:40 on August 29th, 2008

..lost world

mediaplus has contributed a photo to this story.

Coku

at 01:11 on August 30th, 2008

Was taken at Bandung Zoo, west java..

gjsctn

at 04:11 on August 30th, 2008

gjsctn has contributed a photo to this story.

gjsctn

at 04:50 on August 30th, 2008

It was taken at Fuengirola Zoo, Fuengirola, Spain.

jardinbahar

at 00:21 on August 31st, 2008

I understand that some of the Sumtran Tigers are endagered. Really appreciate for any efforts give to protect this species. I took this photo in Safari Park, Puncak (West Java). I hope the management of this Park could really protect this species from extinction.

jardinbahar has contributed a photo to this story.