Massive deforestation found at Sumatran tiger habitat
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Xinhua, September 26, 2011
Greenpeace announced last Friday that it had found apparent forest destruction evidence in Indonesia's Riau forests, home to endangered Indonesia's Sumatran tiger species.
On Friday, activists from Greenpeace, the international nature conservancy organization, found and documented the evidence of forests destruction in Sumatra, during the organization's "Tiger Tour" program for saving Sumatran tiger from extinction.
Five Greenpeace activists witnessed several trucks loaded with forest timber going back and forth without any authorization during their operation en route from Pekanbaru to Rokan Hilir on Thursday, the statement said.
The wood on the trucks are not industry timber but natural forest wood, proving that the destruction of natural forests is still ongoing nearby.
On Friday, the activists tried to see the condition of important tiger habitat forest, Senepis Forest in Rokan Hilir District, Riau Province. But when the activists arrived at Senepsis Forest, they saw only destroyed forests, the statement said.
In 2007, the Ministry of Forestry designated Senepis, which is a peat forest, to be a conservation forest for the Sumatran Tiger. However, the forest is now owned by three companies belonging to Sinar Mas' Pulp and Paper Division (PT. Ruas Utama Jaya and PT Suntara Gaja Pati) respectively.
Greenpeace activists then managed to get inside the concession of PT. Ruas Utama Jaya. Again, they saw destroyed forests. The company had also built canals resulting in the drying out of carbon-rich peatlands.
"What we have witnessed in the last two days is indeed sad. The Sumatran tigers' forest home continues to be destroyed. But seeing this destruction has made us more determined than ever to save Indonesia's last remaining forests," said Rusmadya Maharuddin, Greenpeace Southeast Asia forest campaigner in the statement.
"We must fight to save Indonesia's remaining forests. We're presenting the evidence of the destruction, and inviting all the people of Indonesia to join us and be a 'Tiger Eyes'. The companies responsible must stop their destructive practices and shift to more responsible operations, while the Government must review all existing concessions and protect peatland immediately," Rusmadya added, referring to the name of Greenpeace's activities to save Sumatran tigers from extinction.
According to the existing data, only around 400 tigers left in the wild in Sumatra forets. The Indonesian government estimated that more than one million hectares of forest were being cleared every year.
With the current rates of forest destruction, this magnificent animal that has inspired Indonesia's rich culture, is likely to follow its predecessors, the Javanese and Bali tiger, into extinction.
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