Sumatran Tiger Dies of Thirst in Snare Trap
In Indonesia, a rare Sumatran tiger fell into a snare trap and was unable to free itself. The animal died a torturous death from thirst.
A Sumatran tiger fell into a trap in Indonesia and was unable to free itself.
The rare specimen died in agony. Police are now investigating.
Five Days in the Snare
For five days, the tigress fought for her life on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Without success. She could not escape the snare trap. It was her death sentence. The big cat died of thirst. The dead wild animal was a Sumatran tiger. They are considered extremely rare and are critically endangered. The carcass was discovered on Sunday, near a nature reserve.
This was the latest killing of endangered animals on the island of Sumatra. According to conservationists, the coronavirus pandemic has led to an increase in poaching as villagers have turned to hunting for economic reasons.
The trap had apparently been set by poachers. Police are now investigating the case together with the wildlife conservation authority.
Javan and Bali Tigers Already Extinct
The Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) is the smallest of the still-living tiger subspecies. In addition to poaching, the destruction of natural habitat by palm oil plantations has greatly reduced their numbers.
On the island of Sumatra, there are at most 400 individuals remaining in the wild. It is the last subspecies of big cat remaining in Indonesia, after the Javan and Bali tigers were already driven to extinction.
