Searching for evidence of the "extinct" Javan tiger, Indonesia

 Searching for evidence of the "extinct" Javan tiger, Indonesia

DNA testing on a single hair strand taken from a West Javan fence inspired a search for a huge cat.

                                                        Source aljazeera.com

26 March 2024

Indonesia is looking for proof that the supposedly extinct Javan tiger may not be completely extinct.

An official from the nation's environment ministry disclosed the search for evidence of the big cat's survival on Tuesday. The search will involve the use of camera traps and comprehensive DNA sweeps. It is thought that the 1980s saw the extinction of the species.

The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) proposed in a research published last week that a solitary tiger hair strand discovered in West Java in 2019 matched the traits of the unique species, prompting the start of the inquiry.

According to the study, which was released by Cambridge University Press, a local named Ripi Yanur Fajar claimed to have seen a Javan tiger at a plantation in a jungle close to Sukabumi city in the province of West Java. The villager observed claw and footprint traces while gathering the hair strand from a fence.

"The findings have led to conjecture that the Javan tiger remains extant in the wild," stated Satyawan Pudyatmoko, the ministry representative in charge of conservation. "We are ready to respond to it, and we will prepare accordingly."

Only Sumatran tigers survive in the archipelago nation after poaching and forest clearing for plantations decimated the native Javan and Balinese tigers in the 1980s and 1940s, respectively.

Less than 400 Sumatran tigers are thought to remain in the wild, making them a critically endangered species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Poachers frequently target Sumatran tigers for their body parts.

If it can be demonstrated that the Javan tiger is still alive, it will undoubtedly be preserved. All parties, including society, have a responsibility to contribute to the preservation of their population, according to Pudyatmoko.

Head of WWF Indonesia's forest and wildlife program Muhammad Ali Imron advised caution while sharing the results with the public to avoid warning hunters.

He stated that more investigation was required to verify the tiger's existence.

Source aljazeera.com