150 Sumatran tigers present in Indonesia's national park

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - More than 150 Sumatran tigers are estimated to inhabit Indonesia's Kerinci Seblat National Park, an official said Sunday, according to Indonesian news agency Antara.

"The Sumatran tiger population in (the park) is stable, with numbers between 150 to 180," said M Mahfud.

He said the population estimate comes from camera traps and identifying traces and feces, but withheld specific details to help safeguard the tigers from poaching.

Mahfud stressed that the tigers seldom venture into villages, indicating that there is still an adequate prey population in the area.

Due to poaching and loss of habitat, the critically endangered Sumatran tiger is safeguarded by Indonesian law, with penalties for hunting including imprisonment and fines. The species is classified as critically endangered by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF).