Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) is the tiger found only in Sumatra island, Indonesia. Sumatran tiger is one of six surviving subspecies of tiger which is classified by IUCN as critically endangered. There are high levels of human-tiger conflict, as well as illegal trade in tiger. Current population of Sumatran tigers in the wild probably only about 300-400 individuals scattered in several areas of forest that is fragmented due to various causes, especially logging and forest conversion. Therefore the existence of the Sumatran tiger must be preserved as described in the document how the Strategy and Action Plan for Sumatran Tiger Conservation from 2007 to 2017. We have worked in Batang Gadis National Park with support from RSG and National Park Authority already requested for our assistance on development of effective community based tiger protection due the successfully of Second RSG project. It’s also caused by very limited budget & forest ranger number of national park authority in handling protection of national park.

The objectives of this project are:

(1) Reducing of the illegal exploitation of tiger & wildlife and protected forest land

(2) Strengthening of local community capacity and awareness in handling human-tiger conflicts.

The conservation strategy was create some locations that recognized as Tiger Conservation Landscapes (TCLs) and the Batang Gadis National Park (BGNP) was listed as important landscape, As we knew that BGNP is declared by Government Act Number SK.216/Menhut-II/2004 issued by Minister of Forestry on April 29, 2004 with total covering 108.000 hectare, but after the Supreme Court decision about cancellation of the National Park map because it include in gold mining concession and the Ministry of Forestry (National Government) was make revision on March 2012 (National Government act number SK. 121/Menhut-II/2012) with total cover only 72.150 hectare. The changing forest status from national park into non-national park was accelerated the forest fragmentation & high level potency of human-wildlife conflicts in future especially Human-Tiger conflicts. The facts were shown that some human & tiger conflict was happen before & after the designation of national park. In 2004 to 2009, there are 5 local peoples was died by tiger attacks. Lastly, on 2012 was recorded that 5 tigers presence around the Muara Batang Natal villages, the all situation make local peoples & poachers have “interest” to hunt the Sumatran tigers.

This program is important effort as a response of dangerous situation of Sumatran tiger through reducing the illegal exploitation of wildlife especially Sumatran Tiger and protecting forest land as their last habitat and prepare local community to anticipate the change of tiger home range & potency of lethal conflicts. Direct contribution as mention above, will give significant conservation impact, through routine monitoring and investigation, patrol of illegal logging & human tiger conflict as well as tiger & wildlife poaching, promoting and building public awareness. This result of this project is expected to give effective formulas for a deployment of community based tiger protection in & around the Batang Gadis National Park.