Pekanbaru, Riau, April 4 (Antarariau.com) - The Natural Resources Conservation Service (BBKSDA) of Riau has sent a wildlife expert, referred to as the animal communicator, to track a Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) in the Indragiri Hilir District.
"The animal communicator is already at the location and has joined the team," Head of the Region I BBKSDA of Riau Mulyo Hutomo stated here on Wednesday.
Hutomo noted that the animal communicator is a woman from Canada. The expert, identified as Sakti, is also already familiar with animals in Indonesia, as she had first actively joined the local animal care foundation.
Sakti joined the team and participated in the search for a Sumatran tiger called Bonita around the palm oil plantation of PT Tabung Haji Indo Plantation, Pelangiran Sub-district, Indragiri Hilir District.
Over the last two months, Bonita has continued to roam close to the palm oil plantation owned by the Malaysian company. During that time, Bonita had killed two people.
He explained that Bonita had become aware of the presence of officers after being shot at by a tranquillizer gun by personnel on March 16, 2018. She later left the plantation area and entered the green belt having a total area of 22 square kilometers.
In general, Hutomo remarked that Sakti will help the team to track the location of Bonita or other tigers that terrorize the local people and employees of the company. By hearing the tiger's roar, its existence could be tracked. Sakti can find the location of the tiger from a certain distance.
"Sakti will hear the tiger's roar and then try to locate its position, including by using waves, as we usually see on the National Geographic channel. This is scientific approach," he stated.
In addition to sending an animal language expert, Bonita's search and rescue team has also deployed sniper personnel. Currently, the joint team comprising members from the Indonesian Military, Police, and local authorities are still trying to track down and save Bonita.
Bonita has been in the news in recent times after it killed two people. Jumiati, the first victim, died in early January 2018. She was attacked by Bonita while working at the KCB 76 Block 10 Afdeling IV Eboni State, Tanjung Simpang Village, Pelangiran Sub-district, Indragiri Hilir District.
The second victim, Yusri Efendi, was from the same village.
BBKSDA Riau Sends Animal Communicator, A Women from Canada to Track Tiger Bonita
