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Inspiring visitors to engage in conservation-related behaviour following a zoo visit is a primary objective for most zoos. Animal–visitor interactive (AVI) experiences are often central to this goal. Yet, these interactive experiences are insufficiently evaluated from both the visitors’ and captive animals’ perspectives. The current study took place at Fota Wildlife Park and involved the construction of an environmental enrichment device during an interactive visitor experience with Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae). It aimed to simultaneously encourage pro-conservation behaviour in visitors and promote animal welfare. Visitors (n = 51) completed a survey, observed the tigers’ behaviour and made a pledge to help tigers in the wild after completion of the AVI. Tiger behaviour was simultaneously observed by a trained researcher using occurrence or non-occurrence sampling, which found no indication that tiger welfare was compromised during the activity and was likely enhanced by engaging with the enrichment. Additionally, visitors observed a range of tigers’ behaviours. The results indicated that some visitors (8%) had continued with their pledge six weeks after the experience, and most visitors exhibited a high level of knowledge and a positive attitude towards tigers. The use of enrichment during AVIs may be a positive link between the visitor experience and animal welfare. These results can be used to guide AVIs in zoos which aim to connect people with nature and drive pro-conservation behaviour in visitors.

Monitoring the status of the Critically Endangered Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae is a key component for assessing the effectiveness of conservation interventions, and thus informing and adapting strategic planning for the remaining 600 Sumatran Tigers on the island. The Berbak-Sembilang National Park is an integral part of the priority Berbak-Sembilang Tiger Conservation Landscape, in a unique habitat of mixed peat and freshwater swamp in eastern Sumatra. Our camera trap survey covered both the Berbak and Sembilang Tiger Core Areas (BTCA, STCA) over a period of 10 years, with surveys undertaken in 2010, 2015, 2018–2019. The most recent population density estimates (BTCA 1.33 adults/100 km2, 95% CI 0.82–1.91 with 19 adults; and STCA 0.56 adults/100 km2, 95% CI 0.45–0.89 with five adults) confirmed a small but stable population. A landscape level management approach is a priority for tiger population recovery, consolidating ground-based protection and establishing a well-maintained fire management system with reforestation of affected areas along with multi-stakeholder engagement and partnerships. The study also recommends extending the BTCA to include the primary swamp forest in the north of the national park, based on evidence from camera trap surveys.

Sumatran tiger lives in the remaining forests on the Sumatra island, both in conservation and production areas. There are not many tiger monitoring activities conducted in production forest. Using camera traps this occupancy survey of Sumatran tiger ( Panthera tigris sumatrae ) carried out in a plantation forest area of PT. Toba Pulp Lestari (PT. TPL) to obtain information and monitor tiger presence in the area. However, there were no Sumatran tigers captured by the camera traps during the occupancy activities. The existence of Sumatran tiger was proven by the finding of footprints and scrapes. Other species were photographed by the camera traps, such as marbled cat (( Pardofelis marmorata ), pig-tailed monkey ( Macaca nemestrina ), treeshrew ( Tupaia sp.), Asian palm civet ( Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) , lizards ( Eutropis sp.), Hoogerwerf’s pheasant ( Lophura hoogerwerfi ), wood mouse ( Apodemus sylvaticus ) as well as birds. It is assumed that the Sumatran tiger didn’t cross the location of research during the camera installation period. However, there are several other reasons why Sumatran tigers weren’t captured by camera traps, such as the camera traps observation time was too short and didn’t cover a larger area, so it lessens the opportunity of encounter with Sumatran tiger. Harimau Sumatera hidup di hutan yang masih tersisa di pulau Sumatera, baik di kawasan hutan konservasi maupun hutan produksi. Kegiatan pemantauan harimau di hutan produksi belum banyak dilakukan. Dengan menggunakan camera trap, survei okupansi harimau sumatera ( Panthera tigris sumatrae ) ini dilakukan di areal konsesi hutan tanaman industri PT. Toba Pulp Lestari (PT. TPL) untuk mendapatkan informasi dan memantau keberadaan harimau di kawasan tersebut. Namun, tidak ada harimau sumatera yang terfoto oleh kamera trap selama kegiatan survei okupansi. Keberadaan harimau sumatera dibuktikan dengan ditemukannya jejak tapak dan cakaran. Selain itu, terdapat ppesies lain yang terfoto oleh kamera trap, seperti kucing batu (( Pardofelis marmorata ), beruk ( Macaca nemestrina ), tupai tanah ( Tupaia sp.), musang pandan ( Paradoxurus hermaphroditus ), kadal ( Eutropis sp.), sempidan aceh (Lophura hoogerwerfi), tikus hutan ( Apodemus sylvaticus ) serta burung. Diasumsikan bahwa harimau sumatera tidak melintasi lokasi penelitian selama masa pemasangan kamera. Namun, terdapat beberapa alasan lain mengapa harimau sumatera tidak terfoto kamera trap, seperti waktu pengamatan kamera trap yang terlalu singkat dan tidak mencakup area yang lebih luas, sehingga memperkecil peluang perjumpaan dengan harimau sumatera.

Gastrointestinal worm infection affects the Sumatran tiger. Due to the lack of tools to diagnose the disease, the Sumatran tigers are very often located in Medan Zoo, North Sumatra, and their handling is very rare.Based on the above problems, we need an application in the form of an expert system by applying the Certainty Factor method which is expected to help in diagnosing Gastrointestinal worm infection in Sumatran tigers. With the existing symptoms, the CF value can be determined to get a diagnosis of Gastrointestinal worm infection. So that it can make it easier for a doctor to treat and diagnose gastrointestinal worm infections in Sumatran tigers.The conclusion obtained from the system, is able to diagnose quickly, precisely and accurately the symptoms of gastrointestinal worm infections and is expected to help the community in diagnosing gastrointestinal worms experienced by Sumatran tigers so that treatment can be carried out immediately. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA license

The Sumatran tiger population is on the edge of extinction due to uncontrolled habitat loss. The population of Sumatran tigers, which are only around 400, remaining in the forest. The main thing that causes the lack of the Sumatran tiger population is illegal hunting. Local people hunt the Sumatran tiger because people have economic problems. Thus, illegal trade emerged. Local people hunt Sumatran tigers, sell their body parts, it trusted that the body parts of tiger could heal diseases, and have magical powers for the protection and luck of the community. Thus, INGO International Organizations such as WWF and Tiger Range Countries formed the TX2 program that aims to double the tiger population. In addition, the theory used in this problem also uses Environmental Security.

Recently, some zoos have begun utilizing technology to improve interpretation outcomes. Using the I-Change model, this study evaluated the efficacy of the interactive TigerTrek Exhibit (Taronga Zoo...

Encounter rates of carnivores with prey are dependent on spatial and temporal overlap, and are often highest with their preferred prey. The Critically Endangered Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae is dependent on prey populations, but little is known about its prey preferences. We collected camera-trap data for 7 years (2010–2016) in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Sumatra, to investigate spatial and temporal overlap of tigers with potential prey species. We also developed a novel method to predict predator–prey encounter rates and potential prey preferences from camera-trap data. We documented at least 10 individual tigers, with an overall detection rate of 0.24 detections/100 trap nights. Tigers exhibited a diurnal activity pattern and had highest temporal overlap with wild boar Sus scrofa and pig-tailed macaques Macaca nemestrina, but highest spatial overlap with wild boar and sambar deer Rusa unicolor. We created a spatial and temporal composite score and three additional composite scores with adjustments for the spatial overlap and preferred prey mass. Wild boars ranked highest for all composite scores, followed by sambar deer, and both are known as preferred tiger prey in other areas. Spatial and temporal overlaps are often considered as separate indices, but a composite score may facilitate better predictions of encounter rates and potential prey preferences. Our findings suggest that prey management efforts in this area should focus on wild boar and sambar deer, to ensure a robust prey base for this Critically Endangered tiger population.

SummaryDestruction of tropical rainforests reduces many unprotected habitats to small fragments of remnant forests within agricultural matrices. To date, these remnant forest fragments have been largely disregarded as wildlife habitat, and little is known about mammalian use of these areas in Sumatra. Here, we conducted camera trap surveys (2285 trap-nights) within Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park and five surrounding remnant forest fragments during 2010–2013 and used species composition metrics to compare use. We found 28 mammal species in the protected forest and 21 in the fragments. The fragments harboured a subset of species found in the protected forest and several species not observed in the protected forest. Critically endangered species such as Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) and Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) were found in the forest fragments, along with species of conservation concern such as marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata) and Asiatic golden cat (Pardofelis temminckii). The biodiversity found within the fragments suggests that these small patches of remnant forest may have conservation value to certain mammal species and indicates the importance of further research into the role these habitats may play in landscape-level, multispecies conservation planning.

Conservation organisations and governments often use charismatic megafauna as surrogates to represent broader biodiversity. While these species are primarily selected as “flagships” for marketing campaigns, it is important to evaluate their surrogacy potential, i.e. the extent to which their protection benefits other biodiversity elements. Four charismatic megafauna species are used as surrogates in the megadiverse island of Sumatra: the Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae, Sumatran elephant Elephas maximus sumatranus, Sumatran orangutan Pongo abelii and Sumatran rhinoceros Dicerorhinus sumatrensis. We examined how well each of these species performed in representing the distribution of all co-occurring terrestrial mammal species on the island, and the priority areas for the conservation of three facets of mammalian biodiversity (taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional). We used habitat suitability models to represent the distribution of 184 terrestrial mammal species, 160 phylogenetic groups and 74 functional trait groups. We then identified priority conservation areas using the spatial prioritisation software Zonation. We found that the habitat overlap between each of the four charismatic species and the other mammal species varied, ranging from a mean of 52% (SD = 27%) for the tiger to 2% (SD = 2%) for the rhino. Combining the four species together improved the representation levels only marginally compared to using the tiger only. Among the four charismatic megafauna species, the extent of suitable habitat of Sumatran tiger covered the highest proportion of priority conservation areas. The Sumatran tiger also outperformed most of other mammal species with similar range sizes. We found that some of the top-ranked conservation areas for taxonomic (28%), phylogenetic (8%) and functional diversity (19%) did not overlap with any of the charismatic species’ suitable habitat. Synthesis and applications. Wide-ranging charismatic species can represent broader mammalian biodiversity, but they may miss some key areas with high biodiversity importance. We suggest that a combination of systematic spatial prioritisation and surrogacy analyses are important in order to determine the allocation of conservation resources in biodiversity-rich areas such as Sumatra, where an expansion of the protected area network is required.

Riau Province in central Sumatra, with its peatland, lowland, and montane forest habitats, was once a stronghold for Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) populations. Today, Riau may have one of the highest deforestation rates in the world and wildlife populations are dwindling, with natural forest now comprising approximately only 18% of the province, mostly contained within protected areas. Agriculture (acacia, rubber, and oil palm) makes up the majority of Riau's land cover and deforestation for the creation of new plantations is rampant. Natural forest and tigers still remain in Bukit Tigapuluh National Park and Rimbang Baling Wildlife Reserve, which remain connected to tiger populations in montane forest on the western edge of Sumatra. In this study, using freely available Landsat imagery and a maximum likelihood classification algorithm, we create land cover maps for central Sumatra from 2002 to 2016. We then use current land cover, elevation, and slope variables to predict changes from forest to plantation from 2016 to 2050 at five year intervals using a multilayer perceptron neural network. Finally, we compare connectivity based on a 100 km distance threshold (based on potential tiger dispersal) across the landscape and across years. Land cover maps had 80-90% accuracy, and we predict forest in Tesso Nilo and the western edge of the study area to be lost by 2050 given current rates of deforestation. Our connectivity analysis shows that Tesso Nilo and the area between Rimbang Baling and Bukit Tigapuluh are important components for maintaining connectivity throughout the study area. Focusing conservation and rehabilitation efforts on forests close to plantations in flat areas, including Tesso Nilo, is necessary to maintain forests and increase connectivity in Riau to ensure future habitat connectivity for survival of tigers and Sumatra's other diverse endemic species.

The invasion of the planter's rhododendron (Melastoma malabatrichum) in Way Kambas National Park caused the loss of the sumatran tiger preys feeding ground, therefore efforts were made to eradicate the plant. This study aimed to compare the presence of sumatran tiger preys between M. malabatrichum-invaded location and eradicated location. Eradication was carried out by removing M. malabatrichum on a plot measuring 80 x 60 m2. To record the animal visit, the camera traps were placed at the eradicated and invaded location of M. malabatrichum for comparison. The results showed that the M. malabatrichum eradicated location was more frequently visited by sumatran tiger preys. At the M. malabatrichum eradicated location, camera traps recorded 19 species of wild boar having the highest encounter rate (55.23) followed by sambar deer (33.24), and long-tailed macaque (17.43). Meanwhile, at the M. malabatrichum invaded location, camera traps recorded 13 species with wild boar having the highest encounter rate (30.56), followed by sambar deer (14.75), and long-tailed macaque (14.48). Thus, the eradication of M. malabatrichum had a good impact on increasing the number of sumatran tiger preys due to the availability of feed after being free from M. malabatrichum invasion.

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is recognized as a conservation threat to Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) in Russia, but the risk to other subspecies remains unknown. We detected CDV neutralizing antibodies in nine of 21 wild-caught Sumatran tigers (42.9%), including one sampled on the day of capture, confirming exposure in the wild.

Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) are a critically endangered carnivore restricted to the island of Sumatra, and like many other large mammals on the Indonesian archipelago, they are threatened by high levels of poaching and widespread habitat degradation. Here, we conduct the first range-wide assessment of Sumatran tiger genetics using scat surveys and show that the wild population retains levels of genetic heterozygosity comparable to mainland tigers. However, the population also exhibits signs of subdivision due to the unprecedented rates of deforestation and land conversion in the last 30–40 years. The fact that this subspecies retains such levels of heterozygosity despite high rates of habitat loss and increasing isolation suggests a form of genetic extinction debt with an elevated risk of extinction if no action is taken within the next 30–100 years (see Kenney et al., 2014 ). However, the inherent time delay in extinction debt provides opportunities for conservation if habitat quality can be improved and connections between existing population fragments can be made. Our study highlights the importance of genetic studies for providing baseline information to improve the population management of highly threatened carnivore species. Mitigating further habitat degradation and expansion of oil palm and other cash crops in this region would improve the viability not only of Sumatran tiger populations, but of other threatened large mammal species as well.

Indonesia has a lot of the diversity on flora and fauna that can be assets and icon on this area. Unfortunately flora flora and fauna that exist in Indonesia is less reasing. The animals endangered in Indonesia are Javan Rhino , Sumatran Rhino, Sumatran Tiger, Sumatran Orangutan, Sumatran Elephant, Borneo Elephant, Bornean Orangutan and Turtle.They are extinction because destruction of forest habitats, a conflict between humans and animals, trade, hunting, the arrests beyond capacity. [1]. Is that the issue of the extinction of the animals is dominated by human behavior and nature of the wrath of them. For that, education game “Rare Animal” become formulations to raise awareness of endangered species.

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) categorizes the Sumatran tiger as an endangered species in crisis, which is the highest category of extinction threat. One of the causes of the extinction of the Sumatran tiger is conflict with humans. The meeting of human activities and the roaming area of tigers in the same space creates an adverse conflict on both sides.This research was conducted in the Hutan Tanaman Industri of PT. Arara Abadi, Tapung District, located in Siak Regency and Kampar Regency, Riau Province, to be precise in Rantau Bertuah Village and Garo City Village. The research method is a qualitative approach. Primary data obtained from observations and interviews, and document studies. Secondary data obtained from literature studies are landscape maps, animal monitoring data, and biodiversity reports of PT. Arara Abadi, Tapung district. In addition, the literature study is also sourced from the Riau BKSDA wildlife monitoring data document. Result: Conflict between humans and Sumatran tigers occurred in the concession area of PT. Riau Abadi Lestari to be precise in a conservation area, in a community plantation area. The social losses that occur are in the form of psychological losses, while other losses such as human injuries or death do not occur. The economic loss was Rp. 42,000,000. In addition, some residents lost their working days to cultivate their gardens. The frequency of conflicts that occurred in Rantau Bertuah Village did not recur and conflicts that occurred in Kota Garo Village occurred repeatedly throughout 2020.Conflicts that occur in Rantau Bertuah Village are low risk. Meanwhile, the conflict that occurred in the village of Kota Garo was included in moderate risk.

Reliable information on wildlife populations and the threats they face is crucial for assessing the performance of conservation strategies. As part of its efforts to improve the effectiveness of Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia, and aid the recovery of flagship species, the Park's management authority designated a 1,000 km2 forest block an Intensive Protection Zone. To set a baseline from which to evaluate the performance of this zone, we investigated the density of tigers Panthera tigris sumatrae, and spatio-temporal interactions between tigers, their principle prey and threats. The estimated density of tigers was 2.8 per 100 km2, whereas in 2002 camera-trapping failed to record any tigers in the Intensive Protection Zone. We found the study area contained a rich prey base, with muntjac deer Muntiacus muntjak, macaques Macaca nemestrina and wild pigs Sus scrofa occupying 85–98% of the area, and sambar Rusa unicolor 61%. Despite these promising findings we also recorded a relatively high number of people entering the Park illegally, with 77 incidents over 6 months, of which 20% involved armed poachers. The poachers operated mainly at night and were concentrated in two locations. Law enforcement patrol teams were active during the day, and therefore had little overlap with the poachers. Prioritizing these at-risk areas for increased protection by rangers would further secure the Intensive Protection Zone, and expanding ranger activity across the Park would support efforts to remove the Park from UNESCO's List of World Heritage In Danger.

Fatal injuries caused by attacks by large wild cats are extremely rare in forensic medical practice in Europe. There are very few cases described in the forensic medical literature concerning incidents in zoos similar to the tiger attack on a 58-year-old male zoo employee that we present here. While preparing a runway for tigers, the man was attacked by a male Sumatran tiger. Another zoo employee was an eyewitness to the accident; in his testimony he described the sequence of events in detail. The autopsy showed the injuries typical of a tiger attack: traces of claws and canine teeth indicating that the victim of the attack was knocked down from behind, along with deep and extensive fatal wounds to the neck. The injuries were inflicted by means of a compound mechanism: tissues were penetrated by the animal's canines, crushed with great force (transfixing injury), and violently distended. The skin revealed four characteristic deep wounds caused by canines as well as bite marks resulting from the action of six incisors. The neck area revealed extensive damage, including torn muscles, the esophagus and trachea, large blood vessels of the neck, and fractures of vertebrae C2 and C5 with internal channels resulting directly from penetration by the animal's canines. The mechanism of distension, as a result of the animal jerking its head after biting the victim in the neck, produced a complete tear of the spine and the vertebral arteries, as well as an intramural rupture of the carotid arteries which has never been described before. In the interests of a detailed assessment of bone damage, the cervical spine was macerated. The applied autopsy techniques and detailed analysis of injuries enabled us to demonstrate the compound mechanism that inflicted them, combining penetration of tissues by the canines, crushing, and distension.

In Osnabruck zoo, the opening of a new Sumatran tiger enclosure, an extension to the former tiger facility, took place in March 2014. Installed in the new enclosure were two young tigers and they were observed in the first weeks after their arrival. The focus was on the use of the enclosure and the tigers approach to each other. In addition, their general behaviour was recorded and examined to see whether they developed any stereotypical behaviour types. Data collection took place from 25th March to 11th July 2014 (in total 120 hours of observation, 60 hours per tiger). The animals were observed by focus animal sampling. The central focus of the observations was laid on stress indicating behaviour and approaches to each other. At the beginning, the female tiger (Diana) showed some stereotypic behaviour (pacing), but this was not established and vanished after a few weeks. Following introduction into the outdoor enclosure, the tigers interacted mostly in friendly ways. There is no indication that one tiger was overly active in approaching the other, as expressed by approach-leave-coefficient.

Based on the IUCN Red List,Panthera tigris sumatraeor Sumatran Tiger holds the status of Critical (Critically Endangered /CR) species with an estimated population of only 371 individuals in the wild. Illegal hunting and trade are one of the causes that led to population decline drastically. Conventional forensic investigation such as morphological data collection is difficult to do because the sample has been degraded or mixed with other animal body parts. DNA barcode is an actual method that utilizes DNA for species identification based on the gene markers of living things. DNA barcode usually uses a DNA nucleotide sequence of genes that is different between species and almost unchanged in that species. The gene iscytochrome oxidase subunit 1(CO1). Here we report the results of the characterization of the CO1 gene for DNA barcoding from one of the Sumatran tigers with an individual identity called Bonita caught in Riau province and released after being rehabilitated. This research has been able to characterize the CO1 Bonita gene along 435 nucleotides. That length of the nucleotide can be used as a Bonita barcode with the change in the eighth amino acid, Leucine to Proline with the 23rd nucleotide mutation (CTGàCCG). CO1 can distinguish individuals in intra-species, which in the eighth amino acid from otherPanthera tigrisis Leucine. CO1 gene can differentiate between species analyzed in this study with genetic distances greater than 8.3%.

Saab R, Siregar PG, Tatang Mitra Setia TM. 2019. Implementation of animal welfare in tiger sanctuary, Barumun Nagari Wildlife Sanctuary, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 20: 2790-2795. The accelerated growth in the development of economic and social infrastructure has drastically diminished the population of Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) and its habitat. As a result, conflicts between tigers and humans are increasing rapidly in recent years. The wild tigers in conflict, such as those that attack humans and livestock, are usually killed or captured, while those who cannot return to the forest due to injury or illness are then translocated to the zoo. The increasing number of human and tiger conflicts raises the need for special facilities, such as sanctuaries, to recover the condition of the tigers, before they are released to the wild. This study aimed to examine the aspects of welfare management and assess the level of welfare of the tigers kept in the sanctuary at the Barumun Nagari Wildlife Sanctuary (BNWS) in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The study was carried out from March to April 2019, while data collection was carried out by literature studies, field observation on implementation of five animal welfare parameters, and self-assessment by the manager of the sanctuary. The results showed that, on a score from 1 to 5, the animal welfare parameter scores were 4.88 (freedom from hunger and thirst), 4.81 (freedom to express natural behavior), 4.79 (freedom from discomfort), 3.81 (freedom from fear and distress) and 3.69 (freedom from pain, injuries, and diseases). The total achievement implementation value of animal welfare in BNWS was 89.13, or very good. However, some improvements still have to be made by the sanctuary manager to enhance the animal welfare of tigers in BNWS.

Monitoring the cardiopulmonary signal of animals is a challenge for veterinarians in conditions when contact with a conscious animal is inconvenient, difficult, damaging, distressing or dangerous to personnel or the animal subject. In this pilot study, we demonstrate a computer vision-based system and use examples of exotic, untamed species to demonstrate this means to extract the cardiopulmonary signal. Subject animals included the following species: Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), African lions (Panthera leo), Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), red kangaroo (Macropus rufus), alpaca (Vicugna pacos), little blue penguin (Eudyptula minor), Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) and Hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas). The study was done without need for restriction, fixation, contact or disruption of the daily routine of the subjects. The pilot system extracts the signal from the abdominal-thoracic region, where cardiopulmonary activity is most likely to be visible using image sequences captured by a digital camera. The results show motion on the body surface of the subjects that is characteristic of cardiopulmonary activity and is likely to be useful to estimate physiological parameters (pulse rate and breathing rate) of animals without any physical contact. The results of the study suggest that a fully controlled study against conventional physiological monitoring equipment is ethically warranted, which may lead to a novel approach to non-contact physiological monitoring and remotely sensed health assessment of animals. The method shows promise for applications in veterinary practice, conservation and game management, animal welfare and zoological and behavioral studies.

Observation of animal behavior is a major theme in zoology, often used as a baseline for other studies. To obtain accurate data, data collection process needs to be enhanced through the use of technology. BORIS (Behavioral observation research interactive software) is a digital ethogram software for data collection process in behavioral research. Through the use of BORIS, data collection process can be done in live observation and from video recording. In this study, the software was used to collect daily activity data of a Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica) in Ragunan Zoological Park, Jakarta. The process began with arranging the basic ethogram and inputting the subject data. Afterwards, observation was conducted for 2 hours and 30 minutes outside the tiger enclosure. Observation yielded a recording of 10 behavior types out of 15 behavior types in the ethogram. Timestamp was shown in seconds with accuracy up to 0.001 seconds. Total of 400 observation points were made during the data recording. Results were displayed in the table with the option to export to other formats (e.g. Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet). Overall, the use of BORIS in live behavioral observation gave positive results towards the accuracy and efficiency of data collection process.

Leuser Ulu-Masen landscape is considered to be a very important habitat for Sumatran Tiger. Mane Sub-district in Aceh Province, part of Leuser-Ulu Masen landscape, is identified as an area that has strong local wisdom characteristics in forest management. The objectives of this research were to analyze the perception of local community to the existence of tiger, analyze local wisdom arising from the presence of tigers, analyze mitigation of local community to human-tiger conflict in our study area. Hunting of all wildlife in this forest area is strictly prohibited. We realized role of customary law which prohibits wildlife hunting activities will have a good impact on the conservation of Sumatran tigers. We strongly recommend this model of natural resource management in our research location (based on good local wisdom) be implemented in other areas, especially in areas that have high human-tiger intensity and high density of tiger in human-dominated area.

The invasion of the planter's rhododendron ( Melastoma malabatrichum ) in Way Kambas National Park caused the loss of the sumatran tiger preys feeding ground, therefore efforts were made to eradicate the plant. This study aimed to compare the presence of sumatran tiger preys between M. malabatrichum -invaded location and eradicated location. Eradication was carried out by removing M. malabatrichum on a plot measuring 80 x 60 m2. To record the animal visit, the camera traps were placed at the eradicated and invaded location of M. malabatrichum for comparison. The results showed that the M. malabatrichum eradicated location was more frequently visited by sumatran tiger preys. At the M. malabatrichum eradicated location, camera traps recorded 19 species of wild boar having the highest encounter rate (55.23) followed by sambar deer (33.24), and long-tailed macaque (17.43). Meanwhile, at the M. malabatrichum invaded location, camera traps recorded 13 species with wild boar having the highest encounter rate (30.56), followed by sambar deer (14.75), and long-tailed macaque (14.48). Thus, the eradication of M. malabatrichum had a good impact on increasing the number of sumatran tiger preys due to the availability of feed after being free from M. malabatrichum invasion.

Human tiger conflict (HTC) has become serious problem in Indonesia in term of conservation effort of Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) since population of this species has declined in recent years. The threat of tiger death increases following the number of conflict accidents with humans. The solution requires a comprehensive approach, because it involves the interests of parties. This research was conducted around Gunung Leuser National Park by purposive sampling in Bahorok (Langkat Regency) and Tapaktuan (South Aceh Regency). This study used the system thinking approach in looking at the variables that affected the complexity of HTC. Analysis of needs resulted variables as controlled input of model that describing by causal loop. This study will see the interrelationship of conflict-causing factors with the livelihoods of forest communities. Five aspects of livelihood that became the focus of research consisted environmental, economic, social, human and physical resources. The causal loop of each variable reflected in a diagram.

Gunung Leuser National Park (NP) is the biggest NP in North Sumatra. Though very few plant ecological studies were conducted there. Most studies in Gunung Leuser NP are related with protected animals, such as Sumatran Tiger, Elephant or Orang Utan. Thus, the aim of this preliminary study is to understand the plant structure and composition in the tropical forest of Gunung Leuser National Park. A 0.5-ha plot was established near Gua Kambing, Tangkahan area in November 2015. All tree species bigger than 15 cm girth were recorded, measured, and identified. The dominant species were from Dipterocarpaceae, followed by Myrtaceae and Achariaceae. The total number of trees was 693 trees or 1,386 trees/ha with the total Basal area was 42.9m2/ha and the biggest diameter was 147cm. The results from diversity index analysis ((H’=4.43; D=0.97; α=75) confirm that the forest area had a relatively high diversity, with Agrostistachis sessilifolia dominates the understory layer. The Gua Kambing area had relatively high plant diversity, less disturbance, and bigger trees than other studied areas in tropical Indonesian forests in Sumatra.

The Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) is an endemic animal on the island of Sumatra that is nearing extinction. Ex-situ conservation efforts such as at zoos have an important role in preserving and increasing populations through breeding and maintenance programs. Habitat changes can cause changes in daily behavior patterns because they have different habitat characteristics. The purpose of this study was to determine the habitat characteristics and daily behavior of Sumatran tigers in the Taman Rimba Zoo Jambi. This research was conducted for 12 hours / day starting at 7:00 to 19:00. There are two female Sumatran tigers used as objects in this study. The description of ex-situ habitat characteristics is done through direct observation and literature reference as a comparison. Daily behavior of Sumatran tigers includes eating behavior, resting behavior, social behavior, and others. Ex-situ habitat characteristics generally have similarities with their natural habitat to meet the basic needs of tigers. The results of recording daily behavior in the parent and cubs have a value with a percentage of feeding behavior (2.2% and 2.92%), resting behavior (87.92 and 85.97 %%), social behavior (3.43% and 4.05%), and others (6.43% and 7.06%).

Camera trapping was applied for assess the diversity and activity pattern of wild cats in Way Kambas National Park on May 2013 to May 2014. Fifty-seven cameras were systematically set within 480 km2 area covering a total of 4,610 trap nights. Of 4,017 recorded videos, four wild cats species were capture and identified, those are sumateran tiger (Pathera tigris sumatrae), clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi), leopard cat (Pardofelis marmorota) and marbled cat (Prionailurus bengalensis). The highest capture rate (video per 100 trap nights) was sumatran tiger and leopard cat (0.87) followed by marbled cat (0.11) and clouded leopard (0.09). Sumatran tiger and marbled cat were cathemeral. Sumatran tiger was found active during both day (51.6 %) and night (48.4 %) with its highest activity was between 05.00 – 06.00 hours and 05.00 – 06.00 hours, whilst marbled cat was active during the day (41.2 %) and night (58.8 %) with it highest activity found between 12.00 to 02.00 hours and 05.00 – 06.00 hours. The other two cat species, leopard cat and marbled cat were mostly nocturnal with the highest activity recorded at 05.00 – 06.00 hours and 21.00 – 22.00 hours for clouded leopard and 05.00 – 06.00 hours for leopard cat. Our study demonstrates that the Way Kambas National Park is an important habitat for wild cats in Sumatra, although the presence of other rarer cat species in the park, such as golden cat and flat-headed cat still needs to be confirmed by further long-term monitoring study.

Summary No other species attracts more international resources, public attention, and protracted controversies over its intraspecific taxonomy than the tiger (Panthera tigris) [ 1 , 2 ]. Today, fewer than 4,000 free-ranging tigers survive, covering only 7% of their historical range, and debates persist over whether they comprise six, five, or two subspecies [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. The lack of consensus over the number of tiger subspecies has partially hindered the global effort to recover the species from the brink of extinction, as both captive breeding and landscape intervention of wild populations increasingly require an explicit delineation of the conservation management units [ 7 ]. The recent coalescence to a late Pleistocene bottleneck (circa 110 kya) [ 5 , 8 , 9 ] poses challenges for detecting tiger subspecific morphological traits, suggesting that elucidating intraspecific evolution in the tiger requires analyses at the genomic scale. Here, we present whole-genome sequencing analyses from 32 voucher specimens that resolve six statistically robust monophyletic clades corresponding to extant subspecies, including the recently recognized Malayan tiger (P. tigris jacksoni). The intersubspecies gene flow is very low, corroborating the recognized phylogeographic units. We identified multiple genomic regions that are candidates for identifying the adaptive divergence of subspecies. The body-size-related gene ADH7 appears to have been strongly selected in the Sumatran tiger, perhaps in association with adaptation to the tropical Sunda Islands. The identified genomic signatures provide a solid basis for recognizing appropriate conservation management units in the tiger and can benefit global conservation strategic planning for this charismatic megafauna icon.

Rifaie F, Sugardjito J, Fitriana YS. 2015.Spatial point pattern analysis of the Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae)poaching cases in and around Kerinci Seblat National Park, Sumatra. Biodiversitas 16: 311-319.Wild Sumatran tigers are in a criticalstate with around 250 adult tigers remain in their habitat in Sumatra Island. Despite the fact that this subspecies is an elusive animal withvery wide home range, Sumatran tigers are facing two serious threats, the depletion of its habitats and preys in one side and the increaseof tiger hunt for illegal wildlife market. Improving the capacity and effectiveness of law enforcement in reducing poaching of tigers isan immediate priority protecting the remaining wild populations in their habitat. Enforcement monitoring was established under theTiger conservation program. During their patrols, the anti-poaching team recorded various data including poaching incidents. Weanalyzed secondary data of Sumatran tiger poaching cases around Kerinci Seblat National Park that have been documented from 2000 to2012. Georeferencing process was performed to transform locality data of 87 poaching cases into geographic position. The NearestNeighbor (NN) analysis suggested a strong clustering pattern with the observed mean distance was 4.9 km, much lower than theexpected mean distance (10.9 km).Similarly, The Ripley's K analysis also showed the aggregation of the points along the observeddistances. On the other hand, about 35.6% of points were located outside the standard deviational ellipse. The pattern indicated thatpoaching incidents were spread in all corner of the region but excessive cases were observed in the center of the park.

Summary The United Nations recently listed illegal wildlife trade as a serious crime because of the escalating demand for highly prized species, such as tiger and rhinoceros, and the failure to effectively control the trade. In turn, this places greater urgency on reducing supply by securing source populations of these species. Yet, whether law enforcement strategies designed to mitigate poaching are succeeding remains poorly understood, despite the millions of dollars invested annually in this mainstay conservation strategy. Here, we assess the performance of one of Asia's longest running law enforcement programmes, from Kerinci Seblat National Park in Sumatra, by investigating whether forest ranger patrols reduced the occurrence of snare traps set for tiger and its ungulate prey base; local informant reports on poaching influenced ranger patrol success; and the resulting population trends of target species changed in response to these conservation actions. A total of 4433 snare traps were removed during 642 foot patrols conducted from 2000 to 2010. Controlling for the influence of varying detection probabilities, as well as accessibility and other possible determinants of illegal hunting, revealed that sites with a greater frequency of patrols, rather than the combined distance walked, had a lower occurrence of snare traps in succeeding years. Patrols conducted on the basis of local informant ‘tip-offs’ were significantly more likely to detect snare traps than routine patrols, with reports increasing detections by over 40%. There were no significant changes in the occupancy status of the tiger prey base from 2004 to 2011, suggesting that it remained stable during this period. The relatively good condition of prey and predator populations in Kerinci Seblat National Park was further supported by the results of an independent survey conducted in 2008–2009 which revealed a widespread tiger occurrence. Synthesis and applications. Our results not only demonstrate the effectiveness of the Kerinci Seblat law enforcement strategy in protecting wildlife, but highlight the benefits from cultivating a network of reliable informants. The study also represents a critical step in helping these urgently needed conservation assessments to become common place in the fight to save flagship species.

The continuing development of improved capture–recapture (CR) modeling techniques used to study apex predators has also limited robust temporal and cross-site analyses due to different methods employed. We develop an approach to standardize older non-spatial CR and newer spatial CR density estimates and examine trends for critically endangered Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) using a meta-regression of 17 existing densities and new estimates from our own fieldwork. We find that tiger densities were 47% higher in primary versus degraded forests and, unexpectedly, increased 4.9% per yr from 1996 to 2014, likely indicating a recovery from earlier poaching. However, while tiger numbers may have temporarily risen, the total potential island-wide population declined by 16.6% from 2000 to 2012 due to forest loss and degradation and subpopulations are significantly more fragmented. Thus, despite increasing densities in smaller parks, we conclude that there are only two robust populations left with >30 breeding females, indicating Sumatran tigers still face a high risk of extinction unless deforestation can be controlled., Determining the conservation status and populations trends for elusive predators has been impeded by discrepancies in how densities are calculated. Here, Luskin et al. introduce a means to standardize previous density estimates and assess the threats to the Sumatran tiger.

Ecosystem services have clear promise to help identify and protect priority areas for biodiversity. To leverage them effectively, practitioners must conduct timely analyses at appropriate scales, often with limited data. Here we use simple spatial analyses on readily available datasets to compare the distribution of five ecosystem services with tiger habitat in central Sumatra. We assessed services and habitat in 2008 and the changes in these variables under two future scenarios: a conservation-friendly Green Vision, and a Spatial Plan developed by the Indonesian government. In 2008, the range of tiger habitat overlapped substantially with areas of high carbon storage and sediment retention, but less with areas of high water yield and nutrient retention. Depending on service, location and spatial grain of analysis, there were both gains and losses from 2008 to each scenario; however, aggregate provision of each ecosystem service (except water yield) and total area of tiger habitat were higher in the Vision than the Plan, likely driven by an increase in forest cover in the Vision. Sub-watersheds with high levels of several ecosystem services contained substantially more tiger habitat than random subsets of sub-watersheds, suggesting that prioritizing ecosystem services could benefit tiger conservation. Our analyses provided input to government-led spatial planning and strategic environmental assessments in the study area, indicating that even under time and data constraints, policy-relevant assessments of multiple ecosystem services are feasible.

Information on spatial and temporal variation in abundance is crucial for effective management of wildlife. Yet abundance estimates for the Critically Endangered Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae are lacking from Riau, the province historically believed to hold the largest percentage of this subspecies. Recently, this area has had one of the highest global rates of deforestation. Using camera traps we investigated tiger abundance across peatland, flat lowland, and hilly lowland forest types in the province, and over time, in the newly established Tesso Nilo National Park, central Sumatra. We estimated densities using spatially explicit capture–recapture, calculated with DENSITY, and traditional capture–recapture models, calculated with CAPTURE. With spatially explicit capture–recapture the lowest tiger density (0.34 ± SE 0.24 per 100 km2) was estimated in the hilly lowland forest of Rimbang Baling and the highest (0.87 ± SE 0.33 per 100 km2) in the flat lowland forest of the Park. Repeated surveys in the Park documented densities of 0.63 ± SE 0.28 in 2005 to 0.87 ± SE 0.33 per 100 km2 in 2008. Compared to traditional capture–recapture the spatially explicit capture–recapture approach resulted in estimates 50% lower. Estimates of tiger density from this study were lower than most previous estimates in other parts of Sumatra. High levels of human activity in the area appear to limit tigers. The results of this study, which covered areas and habitat types not previously surveyed, are important for overall population estimates across the island, provide insight into the response of carnivores to habitat loss, and are relevant to the interventions needed to save the tiger.

Indonesia’s tropical peatlands are an ecosystem of global significance. They contain immense stores of carbon and play a key role in regional and global climate systems. They provide habitat for iconic species such as the orangutan and Sumatran tiger, and they sustain the livelihoods of thousands of local people. Despite these values, Indonesia’s peatland ecosystems have been subject to extensive deforestation and degradation during the past two decades. Recurrent peatland fires related to these land use activities have caused smoke pollution across the region, resulting in substantial public health issues and political controversy. More than 50% of the nation’s 21 Mha of peatland can be considered as degraded. There is an urgent need to slow the rate of peatland degradation in Indonesia and to effectively restore the vast areas already damaged. A key consideration in this challenge is that tropical peatland restoration is an emerging field of scientific inquiry and little research has been published on the factors that constitute and influence successful restoration of tropical peatland ecosystems. This thesis addresses this gap in the broader ecosystem restoration literature by focusing on a case study of the so-called “Ex-Mega Rice Project” area of Central Kalimantan (an area previously subject to extensive degradation) and examining how successful peatland restoration can be achieved in Indonesia by: (1) reviewing the drivers of peatland degradation in the country in order to better understand the competing interests and broader socioecological context in which restoration activities need to be carried out; (2) studying previous restoration initiatives in Indonesia to better understand the restoration techniques used and the factors influencing their relative effectiveness; (3) analysing the specific tropical peatland restoration technique of “re-wetting” to better understand which elements of the technique best support effective restoration outcomes; (4) analysing the specific issue of illegal oil palm development on Indonesian peatland, including a consideration of what sorts of interventions are required to halt illegal oil palm development and control the associated recurrent fires that have been shown to substantially constrain the effectiveness of restoration initiatives; and (5) presenting an overarching conceptual framework of the factors that influence effective peatland restoration, which can be used by policy makers to devise restoration interventions that should have a greater probability of success. The drivers of peatland degradation in Indonesia can be categorised as direct and indirect. Direct drivers include logging, oil palm development and recurrent fires (mostly caused by large- and small-scale land use activities). Indirect drivers include climate change, the poverty and employment needs of local people, and the ineffective and sometimes perversely counter-productive land use governance systems. Techniques previously used to restore peatlands in Indonesia include rewetting through canal blocking, re-forestation through seedling transplanting, the development of seed-based tree seedling nurseries, and measures that support natural regeneration such as the strategic planting of seed trees and additional seed dispersal. Previous restoration measures in the case study area were typically “small and pilot-based” and, as such, their impact were limited. That noted, of these techniques, rewetting appears to be the most common and the most likely to result in larger-scale successful peatland restoration. A detailed analysis of rewetting activities in the case study area revealed that effective rewetting and peatland restoration can be achieved with or without spillways on “dam box” designs, and if special design consideration is given to dam crest elevation and dam spacing, and if the materials used to construct dams were sufficiently durable and appropriate. The case analysis also showed that rewetting dams built for restoration were frequently damaged, apparently by loggers and fishermen opposed to the restoration intervention in the area. A detailed analysis of the extent of illegal oil palm development in the case study area is also included in this thesis. Spatial analysis and emissions modelling revealed that around 86,700 ha of palm oil plantations had been developed on “deep” peatland in the case study area (2004 to 2012) in direct contravention of a range of applicable laws, rules, decrees and ordinances aimed at conservation of deep peatland. Our modelling suggests that these oil palm plantations have directly resulted in between 3.73 MtCO2e (minimum) to 8.67 MtCO2e (maximum) of emissions annually between 2004 and 2012. Laws and government policies protecting peatlands must be properly enforced in Indonesia to not only halt the damage caused by this illegal development, but also to allow restoration activities to be enacted with a reasonable chance of success. The final part of this thesis presents an assessment framework for evaluating the likelihood of success of different peatland restoration interventions in the tropics. The assessment framework includes a hierarchal structure that covers principal aspects, attributes, success indicators, standards for comparison, and decision criteria. The framework can be used by policy makers to improve the probability of success of future peatland restoration initiatives in Indonesia.

The expensive computational cost of sensitivity analyses has hampered the use of these techniques for analysing individual-based models in ecology. A relatively cheap computational cost, referred to as the Morris method, was chosen to assess the relative effects of all parameters on the model’s outputs and to gain insights into predator–prey systems. Structure and results of the sensitivity analysis of the Sumatran tiger model – the Panthera Population Persistence (PPP) and the Notonecta foraging model (NFM) – were compared. Both models are based on a general predation cycle and designed to understand the mechanisms behind the predator–prey interaction being considered. However, the models differ significantly in their complexity and the details of the processes involved. In the sensitivity analysis, parameters that directly contribute to the number of prey items killed were found to be most influential. These were the growth rate of prey and the hunting radius of tigers in the PPP model as well as attack rate parameters and encounter distance of backswimmers in the NFM model. Analysis of distances in both of the models revealed further similarities in the sensitivity of the two individual-based models. The findings highlight the applicability and importance of sensitivity analyses in general, and screening design methods in particular, during early development of ecological individual-based models. Comparison of model structures and sensitivity analyses provides a first step for the derivation of general rules in the design of predator–prey models for both practical conservation and conceptual understanding.

1. Models have been devised previously that allow the estimation of abundance from detection data of unmarked individuals while accounting for imperfect detection, but these are restricted to models for discrete sampling protocols, i.e. replicated detection ? non-detection or count data. Furthermore, these models assume that the detections from each individual are independent; however, there are cases in which this assumption is likely to be violated. For example, in surveys along transects, clustering in the signs left by each individual could be expected. 2. Here, we propose models to estimate abundance from species-detection data collected continu- ously along transects considering two cases: (i) independent detections and (ii) clustering within the detections of each individual. We account for clustering by describing the detection process as a Markov-modulated Poisson process. We study the properties of the estimators via simulation, assessing the impact of unmodelled detection clustering. 3. We show that bias may be induced in the estimator of abundance if clustering in individual detec- tions is not accounted for and how an estimator with better coverage properties is obtained if clus- tering is modelled. We demonstrate that both abundance and the clustering pattern can be well estimated simultaneously, given enough data. 4. To illustrate our approach, we fit the models to tiger pugmark detection data from transect sur- veys in Kerinci Seblat National Park in Sumatra. The analysis suggested strong abundance-induced heterogeneity in detections when clustering was disregarded, but the evidence reduced drastically when clustering was accounted for. This example illustrates how unmodelled clustering can affect the estimation of abundance. 5. Estimates of abundance need to be reliable to ensure that conservation and management inter- ventions are not misguided. Provided certain model assumptions are met, abundance can be esti- mated from detection data of unmarked individuals. This requires an adequate description of the detection process, or otherwise, bias may be induced in the abundance estimator. The models and discussion provided here deal with the issue of clustering within the detections of individuals and are of relevance for ecologists interested in methodological developments for the estimation of ani- mal abundance.

Little is known about interactions between the critically endangered Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae and its prey because of the difficulties associated with detecting these species. In this study, we quantify temporal overlap between the Sumatran tiger and five of its presumed prey species from four study areas comprising disturbed lowland to primary submontane forest. Data from 126 camera traps over 8984 camera days were used to estimate species activity patterns and, in turn, their overlap through the coefficient Δ (ranging from 0 to 1, i.e. no overlap to complete overlap). A newly developed statistical technique was applied to determine confidence intervals associated with respective overlap, which is important, as such measures of precision are usually not estimated in these types of study. Strong temporal overlap was found between tiger and muntjac Muntiacus muntjac (Δ=0.80, 95%CI=0.71–0.84) and tiger and sambar Cervus unicolor (Δ=0.81, 0.55–0.85), with the latter illustrating the importance of measuring precision. According to the foraging theory, Sumatran tigers should focus on expending lower levels of energy searching for and then capturing larger bodied prey that present the least risk. Hence, surprisingly, there was little overlap between the crepuscular tiger and the largest-bodied prey species available, the nocturnal tapir Tapirus indicus (0.52, 0.44–0.60), suggesting that it is not a principal prey species. This study provides the first insights into Sumatran tiger–prey temporal interactions. The ability to estimate overlap statistics with measures of precision has obvious and wide benefits for other predator–prey and interspecific competition studies.

This preliminary studies aimed to examine potency the area to explore as ecotourism base tropical forest, coastal area, agrotourisme and cuotural tourism. Thestudy indicates that the concession has the potential to be an ecotourism area, which contributes to companies, governments and communities. Tourism objects include 1) tropical forest; Sumatran tiger conservation area, primate habitat area (gibbon, ungko, monkey), bird habitat (hornbill, punai, bayan, magpie, parrots), tropical forest biodiversity, tropical forest bee farming, tropical forest nursery area, traditional forest harvesting method etc. 2) coastal area; biodiversity of mangrove forest, biodiversity of coastal biota, wild crocodile viewing, tourism of fireflies, mangrove forest walk, planting mangrove activities, mangrove nursery, fishing etc. 3) The agroforestry and silvofishery programs of the company will contribute to the ecotourism program. Agroforestry objects include; viewing agrucutural area, planting, harvesting, cooking and eating some tropical fruit. Silvofishery objects are; viewing shrimp and fish pond area, harvesting, cooking and eating shrimp and some fishes. In addition, local culture can be part of the tourism object, among others; culinary tour, art and culture community presentation, and Malay kampong culture.

Increasing demand for cooking oil and biofuels has made palm oil, > 80% of which is grown in South-east Asia, the dominant globally traded vegetable oil. However, this region is host to some of the world’s most biodiverse and threatened tropical forests. Strategic engagement with commercial operations is increasingly recognized to be an essential part of the solution for raising funds for conservation initiatives, raising consumer consciousness and potentially stemming environmental degradation. Linking market incentives towards conservation is also of critical importance because it is becoming widely recognized that conservation needs to begin to address the wider countryside (outside protected areas) where human–wildlife interactions are frequent and impacts are large. Using the Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae as both a threatened species in its own right and emblematic for wider species diversity, we show that western consumers are willing to pay a significant premium for products using palm oil grown in a manner that reduces impacts on such species. Results suggest that the price premium associated with a ‘tiger-friendly’ accreditation may provide a useful additional tool to raise conservation funds and, within the right institutional context, serve as an inducement to address the problem of habitat and species loss.

In the original version of the Article, reference 18 was incorrectly numbered as reference 30, and references 19 to 30 were incorrectly numbered as 18 to 29. These errors have now been corrected in the PDF and HTML versions of the manuscript.

1. In conservation decision-making, we operate within the confines of limited funding. Furthermore, we often assume particular relationships between management impact and our investment in management. The structure of these relationships, however, is rarely known with certainty - there is model uncertainty. We investigate how these two fundamentally limiting factors in conservation management, money and knowledge, impact optimal decision-making. 2. We use information-gap decision theory to find strategies for maximizing the number of extant subpopulations of a threatened species that are most immune to failure due to model uncertainty. We thus find a robust framework for exploring optimal decision-making. 3. The performance of every strategy decreases as model uncertainty increases. 4. The strategy most robust to model uncertainty depends not only on what performance is perceived to be acceptable but also on available funding and the time horizon over which extinction is considered. 5. Synthesis and applications. We investigate the impact of model uncertainty on robust decision-making in conservation and how this is affected by available conservation funding. We show that subpopulation triage can be a natural consequence of robust decision-making. We highlight the need for managers to consider triage not as merely giving up, but as a tool for ensuring species persistence in light of the urgency of most conservation requirements, uncertainty and the poor state of conservation funding. We illustrate this theory by a specific application to allocation of funding to reduce poaching impact on the Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae in Kerinci Seblat National Park. © 2008 The Authors.

The response of most large carnivores to selective logging is poorly understood. On the one hand, selective logging may represent loss of important habitat, yet, on the other hand, selective logging may increase browse availability for a terrestrial ungulate prey base, thereby indirectly benefiting large carnivores. Using a camera trap-based sampling method, we estimate tiger density in two primary-selectively logged forest areas that straddle Kerinci Seblat National Park, Sumatra. We then investigate potential differences between the habitat use of tigers: within these study areas and forest types; and, within the finer-scale landscape features associated with these covariates. Across the mixed forest study areas, tiger density estimates (adult individuals/100 km2 ± S.E.) of 2.95 ± 0.56 and 1.55 ± 0.34 were produced. However, within these areas, tigers showed a preference for primary over degraded forest, and this was related to the greater accessibility of degraded forest sites to people, e.g., through their proximity to roads. Presently, the majority of Sumatran tigers occur within large tracts of primary forest, but these extend outside of the island’s protected area borders, and these unprotected forests are especially at risk from the high levels of deforestation in Sumatra. As forest is cleared, previously remote, and therefore safer, tracts of primary forest become accessible and, eventually, degraded. Yet, from our study, degraded forest in combination with primary forest supported sufficiently high tiger densities and can, therefore, make an important contribution to tiger conservation. It is therefore essential to lessen the detrimental effects of accessibility through increasing law enforcement and destroying ex-logging roads.

Djufri. 2015. Leuser Ecosystem of Aceh Province as a natural laboratory for the study of biodiversity to find the raw materials of drugs. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 1: 1543-1552. The Leuser Ecosystem is a natural landscape located between Lake Laut Tawar in Aceh Province and Lake Toba in North Sumatera including 11 districts namely Aceh Tenggara, Aceh Selatan, Aceh Utara, Aceh Timur, Aceh Barat, Aceh Singkil, Aceh Tengah, Deli Serdang, Langkat, Tanah Karo, dan Dairi. Positioned geographically at 2,250-4,950 North Latitude and 96,350-98,550 BT, the scope of the area is about 2,5 million Ha. Gunung Leuser National Park, the largest park in Indonesia, is one of exotic natural conservation with its biodiversity. The park which is one of the lungs of the world also plays important role in balancing life support system. It Is also as a water supply for five million people belong to Aceh Province and other tens millions of North Sumatera. Almost nine districts depend on the roles of the park such as use water supply, water for irrigation, soil fertility support system, flood prevention, and others. It also offers tour destination such as river rafting in River Alas, tracking through Mt.Leuser and Kemiri. Parts of the park namely Bahorok and Ketambe are homes to Orangutan, an endangered animal. It is also native habitat of sumatran wild animals such as Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris), Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii), Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), Sumatran Elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus), Tapir (Tapirus indicus), Owa (Hylobathes lar), and Kedih (Presbytis thomasii). Moreover, the park is the home to 380 species of birds and 36 of 50 species of sundaland birds. Almost 65 % or 129 species of mammals of 205 of big and small mammals noted in the area. The park is also the habitat to most fauna, from mammals, reptile,amphibians, fishes, invertebrates, and thousands flora as the sources of medicines. Mount Leuser National Park has very rich of biodiversity to be explored to find the sources of medicine.

Highlights • The Sumatran tiger is a critically endangered species. • A congenital vestibular syndrome was identified in captive Sumatran tiger cubs. • Vestibular signs included head tilt, circling, falling, ataxia, strabismus and nystagmus. • Clinical signs persisted for a median of 237 days and resolved by 2 years of age. • Pedigree and segregation analysis supported a genetic cause with an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance., The Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris ssp. sumatrae) is a critically endangered species in the wild. To ensure that demographic and genetic integrity are maintained in the longer term, those Sumatran tigers held in captivity are managed as a global population under a World Association of Zoos and Aquariums Global Species Management Plan (GSMP). A retrospective study, including segregation and pedigree analysis, was conducted to investigate potential cases of congenital vestibular disease (CVD) in captive Sumatran tigers in Australasian zoos using medical and husbandry records, as well as video footage obtained from 50 tigers between 1975 and 2013. Data from the GSMP Sumatran tiger studbook were made available for pedigree and segregation analysis. Fourteen cases of CVD in 13 Sumatran tiger cubs and one hybrid cub (Panthera tigris ssp. sumatrae × Panthera tigris) were identified. Vestibular signs including head tilt, circling, ataxia, strabismus and nystagmus were observed between birth and 2 months of age. These clinical signs persisted for a median of 237 days and had resolved by 2 years of age in all cases. Pedigree analysis revealed that all affected tigers were closely related and shared a single common ancestor in the last four generations. A genetic cause for the disease is suspected and, based on pedigree and segregation analysis, an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance is likely. Further investigations to determine the world-wide prevalence and underlying pathology of this disorder are warranted.

The Bali (Panthera tigris balica) and Javan (P. t. sondaica) tigers are recognized as distinct tiger subspecies that went extinct in the 1940s and 1980s, respectively. Yet their genetic ancestry and taxonomic status remain controversial. Following ancient DNA procedures, we generated concatenated 1750bp mtDNA sequences from 23 museum samples including 11 voucher specimens from Java and Bali and compared these to diagnostic mtDNA sequences from 122 specimens of living tiger subspecies and the extinct Caspian tiger. The results revealed a close genetic affinity of the 3 groups from the Sunda Islands (Bali, Javan, and Sumatran tigers P. t. sumatrae). Bali and Javan mtDNA haplotypes differ from Sumatran haplotypes by 1-2 nucleotides, and the 3 island populations define a monophyletic assemblage distinctive and equidistant from other mainland subspecies. Despite this close phylogenetic relationship, no mtDNA haplotype was shared between Sumatran and Javan/Bali tigers, indicating little or no matrilineal gene flow among the islands after they were colonized. The close phylogenetic relationship among Sunda tiger subspecies suggests either recent colonization across the islands, or else a once continuous tiger population that had subsequently isolated into different island subspecies. This supports the hypothesis that the Sumatran tiger is the closest living relative to the extinct Javan and Bali tigers.

We examine the abundance and distribution of Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) and nine prey species in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park on Sumatra, Indonesia. Our study is the first to demonstrate that the relative abundance of tigers and their prey, as measured by camera traps, is directly related to independently derived estimates of densities for these species. The tiger population in the park is estimated at 40‐43 individuals. Results indicate that illegal hunting of prey and tigers, measured as a function of human density within 10 km of the park, is primarily responsible for observed patterns of abundance, and that habitat loss is an increasingly serious problem. Abundance of tigers, two mouse deer (Tragulus spp.), pigs (Sus scrofa) and Sambar deer (Cervus unicolor) was more than four times higher in areas with low human population density, while densities of red muntjac (Muntiacus muntjac) and pigtail macaques (Macaca nemestrina) were twice as high. Malay tapir (Tapirus indicus) and argus pheasant (Argusianus argus), species infrequently hunted, had higher indices of relative abundance in areas with high human density. Edge effects associated with park boundaries were not a significant factor in abundance of tigers or prey once human density was considered. Tigers in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, and probably other protected areas throughout Sumatra, are in imminent danger of extinction unless trends in hunting and deforestation are reversed.

Genome resource banks (GRBs) and assisted reproductive techniques are increasingly recognized as useful tools for the management and conservation of biodiversity, including endangered species. Cryotechnology permits long-term storage of valuable genetic material. Although, the actual application to endangered species management requires technical knowledge about sperm freezing and thawing, a systematic understanding of the quantitative impacts of various germ plasm storage and use scenarios is also mandatory. In this study, various GRB strategies were analyzed using the historical data from three managed populations of endangered species with varied pedigrees (Eld's deer, Przewalski's horse, and Sumatran tiger). The following types of sperm banks were assessed: (1) a “Wild Bank” consisting of sperm (i.e., genes) from 5 to 10 males unrelated to the managed population and to each other; and (2) a “Best Male” bank containing sperm from only the most genetically valuable males alive in the ex situ population at the time the bank was established. These different bank types were then used to evaluate the effectiveness of different bank usage frequencies. The efficiency of each scenario was assessed by examining the level of inbreeding and gene diversity in the population. Overall, a sperm usage frequency of five times per year was determined to be the most efficient and “wild banks” were highly successful at enhancing genetic diversity. The value of a GRB established from the ex situ population depends on how closely related the banked males are to future generations. A GRB will have significantly less benefit when banked males also produce many successful offspring, or when donors are already genetically over-represented in the population at the time of establishing the GRB.