Jambi (ANTARA) – The commemoration of Global Tiger Day in Jambi served as an opportunity to strengthen public awareness and renew commitment to environmental protection and wildlife conservation.
“Today, we have proven that civil society still has the awareness and commitment to promoting a better understanding of the relationship between wildlife, the environment, and humans,” Jambi resident Alam Borneo Albar said here on Sunday.
Albar said the public’s participation in the event demonstrated that concern for environmental issues remains strong and can continue to be fostered collectively.
Through this year’s Global Tiger Day commemoration, he expressed hope that discussions on environmental sustainability and biodiversity conservation would become part of everyday public discourse rather than being limited to an annual event.
“The moral message is that today’s event proves awareness and concern can always be nurtured and strengthened,” he remarked.
Head of the Jambi Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), represented by Head of Administration Subdivision Hendrimon Syadri, said the population of the Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) is now facing a critical situation due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and declining natural prey.
According to him, the Sumatran tiger plays a vital role as an apex predator by maintaining the balance of herbivore populations.
If the tiger population declines or disappears, says Syadri, herbivore numbers are likely to increase due to the loss of their natural predator, potentially causing widespread damage to forest vegetation.
Syadri said Indonesia should learn from India, which has been widely recognized for the success of its tiger conservation program.
India is now home to around 3,500 Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris), accounting for about 70 percent of the world’s total tiger population.
He added that conservation efforts cannot be undertaken by a single stakeholder alone, but require close collaboration among the government, conservation activists, and local communities that serve as the frontline in the field.
“The Sumatran tiger population in the wild is estimated at around 300 individuals, ranging from Aceh to Lampung in the remaining forest areas,” Syadri said.
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Translator: Agus, Kenzu
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
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