Sumatran Tigers

Tigers are one of the world’s most endangered species today. In fact, they are in critical danger of going extinct in our lifetime. Once roaming over nearly one-fifth of the Earth, tigers are constantly losing their habitat to humans. With massive clearing of forests for palm and rubber plantations, illegal logging, and the poaching of wildlife, there are less than 5000 tigers in the wild today.

The seriousness of the issue has triggered Fauna & Flora International (FFI) to develop the Tiger Conservation and Protection Units (TCPU), a tiger law enforcement programme. TCPU is mainly administered in Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP) which houses most of the remaining Sumatran tigers. The TCPU works to deter illegal logging and deforestation, to conserve the forest habitat. Additionally, they trek the park to remove snares set by poachers which endanger tigers, and work to mitigate human-wildlife conflict to promote peaceful co-existence between humans and tigers.

Wildlife Warriors fights to protect the tiger species by partnering FFI and supporting the TCPU with vehicles and other essential equipment. For instance, they supply the TCPU with global positioning systems (GPS), veterinary drugs, and spotlights, to aid them in their patrol and intervention work. Besides funding the TCPU, Wildlife Warriors lends its expertise and trains the anti-poaching patrol units. The partnership has seen possibly the most positive results in Southeast Asia thus far; now thousands of square metres of forests are patrolled, offering protection to the disappearing Sumatran tiger species.