Priority Landscapes in South-east Asia

Tesso Nilo and Bukit Barisan - Indonesia

Representing the Sumatran Island Lowland and Montane Forests Global 200 Ecoregion, this landscape covers the last blocks of lowland tropical rain forest in Sumatra and Bukit Barisan Selatan, important TCUs for the Sumatran tiger.

The revised landscape stretches from Tesso Nilo in Riau to Bukit Tigapuluh, and then on to Bukit Barisan Selatan, all on the island of Sumatra. The tigers in this landscape comprise a significant proportion of this population.

There are an estimated 400 Sumatran tigers in the wild and the biggest threat to their survival is probably poaching: indeed, research by TRAFFIC in 2003 revealed that at least 50 Sumatran tigers were poached each year between 1998 and 2002.

Urgent measures needed
In addition, large-scale habitat conversion to commercial plantation is rapidly eating away natural forests. Illegal logging is also prevalent in much of Sumatra, with local pulp and paper mills relying heavily upon fibre collected from tropical rainforests.

Unless an end is brought to rampant habitat loss and the illegal trade in tiger parts, Indonesia may lose its last remaining tiger species. WWF has successfully lobbied corporate partners and the State government to declare Tesso Nilo a protected area. This is probably the last remaining block of lowland tropical rainforest for tigers in Sumatra.