Within the last three months, Tiger Research Team had got three times direct encounter with Sumatran tiger. After last April when a member of Tiger Research Team had a direct encounter with a Sumatran tiger in Tesso Nilo National Park proposed extension, at this time exactly at July 10, 2008, Tiger Research Team member encountered a Sumatran tiger again. Eka Septayuda, a member of Tiger Research Team had a direct encounter with a Sumatran tiger in the border of acacia plantation and Tesso Nilo National Park.

Starting from the second week of July, Tiger Research Team conducted a survey and withdrew camera trap that had been installed in some spots in Tesso Nilo forest. It was just one and half hour after leaving their forest camp when Eka and Toni, a local guide, were surprised with their findings of fresh tiger foot prints at a bare land in the border of acacia plantation and Tesso Nilo National Park. They then followed the footprints and found area which seemed to be the spot where the tiger played. They also saw fresh urine around. Seeing these fresh signs, Eka and Toni became anxious but be alert as the tiger might be still around.

The footprints then ended in bushes. For a moment both Eka and Toni observed the bushes and from their observation they both agreed that it is the tiger’s trek. Being anxious, they dared themselves to enter the bushes. They have not walked very far into the bushes when suddenly Eka who walked in front was surprised by a tiger in a stand by position staring at him. In his surprise, Eka did not know what to do; he was numb and he just starred at the tiger which seems to be a teen tiger.

Research team found fresh urine of Sumatran tiger. © WWF-Indonesia/Eka Septayuda

It only took less than a minute for Eka and the tiger to stare each other. The tiger then turned back and ran away leaving Eka in his confusion. Eka then ran toward his friend, Toni who was still left behind and told what had just happened. With feeling of worried, they left the area and cautiously went into the direction where camera trap was installed a month before to continue their task.

To date, Tiger Research Team had had three times direct encounter with Sumatran tiger since the implementation of tiger study with camera trap method in December 2004. They had direct encounter with Sumatran tiger twice in Tesso Nilo and once in Bukit Rimbang Baling Wildlife Sanctuary.

This direct encounter with Sumatran tiger in Tesso Nilo shows that the area still keeps biodiversity riches especially protected wildlife. This is also proven by photos resulted from our camera trap that has produced hundreds of protected wildlife. Until May 2008, our camera trap that had been installed in Tesso Nilo National Park has resulted 107 frames of tiger photos. From these photos, we have been able to identify ten different individuals of Sumatran tiger. Our study on population and distribution of Sumatran tiger estimated that with the size of 38,576 ha of Tesso Nilo National Park, the area possesses tiger density of 0.6-1.2/ 100 km².