JAKARTA: A Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) was recently released in the Gunung Leuser National Park, after being caught in a village in south Aceh.
Named "Lokhbe", the male tiger was caught in Lhok Bengkuang, Tapaktuan, recently before being released by the Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), according to Antara news.
Aceh BKSDA head, Agus Arianto, said the tiger was about four to five years old and was often spotted by villagers in Lhok Bengkuang, promping the rescue and release operation.
Agus said the BKSDA together with its partners set the trapping operation for the safety of the tiger and villagers.
Once caught using a cage, the tiger was observed after being given a medical examination, he said on Friday and that it was declared healthy, given its good appetite, absence of physical defects, and response to the environment.
Its release into the national park was carried out after a survey and feasibility study, such as a review of food sources and natural conditions.
"During the release process, Lhokbe looked excited, walking through the Gunung Leuser National Park area. We hope that the tiger will adapt quickly and multiply to increase its population in nature," Agus said.
Based on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources' (IUCN's) list of threatened species, the Sumatran tiger is critically endangered and at high risk of extinction.