RRI.CO.ID, Pekanbaru - A female Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) cub is receiving specialized care after being successfully rescued from a residential area in Pelalawan Regency, Riau Province, marking a critical step in mitigating ongoing human-wildlife conflict in the region.

As reported by Antara, the rescue operation was led by the Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA) in collaboration with local authorities and residents. It concluded after the young predator wandered into a strategically placed trap in the Tanjung Pulai area of Teluk Meranti Subdistrict.

The successful capture followed a series of predatory incidents that had kept the local community on edge since late February. Residents first reported a tiger hunting livestock near a residential porch on February 25, 2026, prompting BBKSDA to deploy a box trap for conflict mitigation.

Although initial efforts proved unsuccessful, a second livestock kill on March 9 near the Pulau Muda village intersection led the team to reset the trap using the remains of the prey as bait.

According to the Head of the Technical Department at BBKSDA Riau, Ujang Holisudin, the persistence of the monitoring team finally paid off on the night of March 10.

"At approximately 9 p.m. Jakarta time, during a routine monitoring session, the Sumatran tiger was observed to have entered the trap and was successfully secured," he remarked in Pekanbaru on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

Following the capture, a veterinary team from the agency performed a sedation procedure to safely transfer the cub from the trap to a transport cage.

A preliminary health screening revealed that the animal is a female cub estimated to be less than one year old. While the medical team found no external injuries and noted that her behavior appeared normal, the cub was described as being physically thin.

Ujang confirmed that the cub has since been moved to the Arsari Djojohadikusumo Foundation's wildlife rescue center for further observation and recovery.

"The general health condition is good, no wounds were found on the body and she is exhibiting normal behavior, though physically the animal appears relatively thin," added Ujang.

BBKSDA Riau is currently evaluating the best long-term strategy for the cub, with the ultimate goal of releasing her back into a safe natural habitat once she has reached an optimal weight and health status. ***