By: Iwan Setiawan

Jakarta (08/10)-The poor law enforcement against tiger poachers hunting and selling tiger parts and products has threatened the very existence of this charismatic endangered species. Whereas, their extinction would harm and threaten the fundamental of human life afterwards.

In many legendary stories or daily life stories, tiger has always been pictured as the king of the wild j, who will fiercely kill its prey, including human. However, today, this description is no longer relevant. Human’s wildness has sent Javan Tigers and Balinese Tigers into Zoology Museum in Bogor. What is left now is only one tiger species, Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) which is estimated at fewer than 400 individuals.

This heart-breaking fact is caused by the rampant tiger poaching and illegal trade. In the past 5 years, in Riau each year there are more or less seven Sumatran Tiger were killed by poachers in Riau and five more were killed due to the tiger-human conflicts.

Recently, in March 2011, there were tiger poaching case in Payakumbuh, West Sumatra. The tiger poacher, Afandi (49 years old) was caught selling one tiger skin for 125 Million Rupiah (≤ US$14.000). According to him, he bought tiger skin for 25 Million Rupiah ( ≤ US$ 3000) per skin. After six trials, he was sentenced by 3 years of prison and 3 million rupiah fine.

WWF-Indonesia Law and Policy staff, Retno Setiyaningrum stated that those punishment are not even equal with the profits the poacher has gained for years. For one transaction, she said, the poacher can get profit until 150 Million Rupiah. “This punishment is too light. It won’t stop the poachers from committing the same crime” she emphasized.

In addition to that, according to Retno, the National Law number 5 year 1990, paragraph 2 of article 40 on biodiversity conservation and ecosystems states that convicted Sumatran tiger poachers and traders are subject to a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of 100 million rupiah (US$10,000).

Meanwhile, the Coordinator of WWF-Indonesia Tiger Protection Unit, Osmantri said that currently, there are several factors which force the Sumatran Tigers close to extinction. First, poor standard security-system, next is the free trade of tiger parts such as skin, teeth, claws, and bones that are believed to have magical values for some people. Lastly, the wrong perspective of how we can express our love to the endangered species.

A way of thinking that it it is better to keep tigers as a pet rather than let them live in the wild and to collect its skin and teeth as way to show our fondness towards tiger, are some of the wrong perspectives which actually threaten the number of living tigers, he stated.

Similar concern comes from WWF-Indonesia Species Conservation Coordinator, Chaerul Saleh. “People use tiger parts as a souvenir and a symbol of respecting other people. This is really a wrong way to love and respect tigers,” he said.

Moreover, he added, finding solutions to combat tiger poaching and illegal trade should be the responsibility of all of us. As economy law applies, if there is no demand, then there will not be any offer on tiger parts. Tiger poaching exists to feed continuing consumer demand for various tiger body parts.

As the top of the food chain that keeps the population of other animals in the lower food chain in balance, tiger extinction will definitely danger the balance of the nature. This already happened in few areas, where wild boars attack people’s fields and others that threats directly or indirectly give negative impacts to human life. The law could not stop people from poaching, but we should not wait until the law of nature acts for their own good.