JAKARTA, Indonesia: Indonesia is intensifying efforts to uncover potential evidence suggesting the survival of the extinct Javan tiger in the wild, following a recent DNA study indicating a possible link to the elusive big cat.
Scientists from Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), in collaboration with conservationists, unearthed genetic traces of the Javan tiger from a single hair discovered near a village in West Java in 2019. The study, published by Cambridge University Press, highlighted the significance of this finding.
Satyawan Pudyatmoko, head of conservation at the environment and forestry ministry, outlined proactive measures in response to the study’s findings. These include deploying camera traps, enlisting genetics experts for further research, and engaging local communities to gather crucial data.
If confirmed, the existence of the Javan tiger would prompt protective measures, emphasizing the collective responsibility to safeguard its population.
Although the hair sample exhibited similarities to Sumatran and Bengal tigers, it bore distinctive characteristics unique to the Javan tiger, as per the researchers’ analysis.
The study recounted a resident’s reported sighting of a Javan tiger in 2019 near Sukabumi city, accompanied by the discovery of footprints and claw marks. However, Muhammad Ali Imron of WWF Indonesia underscored the need for additional samples and genetic testing to validate these findings, expressing concern about potential risks posed by public disclosure, including attracting hunters.
The extinction of the Javan tiger resulted from poaching and human-wildlife conflicts, underscoring the urgency of conservation efforts. Sumatran tigers, facing similar threats, are classified as critically endangered, with fewer than 400 individuals estimated to remain in the wild, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
