NewsOsmantri, Coordinator of Tiger Patrol Units and Wildlife Monitoring, WWF Indonesia"I was raised in West Sumatra where the tiger is culturally seen as a respected animal that has power and magic so my connection with the tiger started when I was very young. In West Sumatra people do not dare to call the tiger by name - reflecting their high respect to the animal - but instead call it nenek, which means grandma in English. I've been with WWF since 1995, and my current job is to monitor wildlife trade cases in court to ensure that the perpetrators get the maximum sentence. I am also working with the Tiger Patrol Units to regularly patrolling around tiger habitats ensuring that the areas are free from snares, illegal logging, or other activities that may harm the tigers""I no longer am directly involved in the investigation of tiger trade or poaching, because people already know my face following several articles highlighting the tiger team's work." About Osmantri:He goes with a single name Osmantri but people known him more as Abeng.He has a degree in Agriculture, majoring Agronomy from Andalas University,top local university in West Sumatra, Indonesia Start working with WWF since 1995 in Bukit Tigapuluh National Park, Riau province, in a division that working on community development Since 1999 he started working as WWF’s investigator of wildlife trade in Riau and since then has been involved on tiger related works He likes to cook during his spare time Raise and grown up in West Sumatra where tiger is culturally seen as a respected animal that has power and magic, Abeng’s connection with tiger has started since he was very young. (In West Sumatra people do not dare to call tiger by name –reflecting their high respect to the animal --but call it as “nenek” which means “grandma” in English. Scope of work: The Tiger patrol Unit and Wildlife Monitoring project aim to promote effective law enforcement and establish prosecution systems for tiger poachers and traders. So, - he work with other WWF’s partners (NGO, government officials, community) in providing training on wildlife trade investigation and law enforcement - he monitors wildlife trade cases in court to ensure that the perpetrators get maximum sentence - he leads and coordinates 2 team of Tiger Patrol Units/TPUs (each unit consist of 4 people) covering tiger areas in Rimbang Baling and Tesso Nilo forests landscape in Riau. The TPUs work for 20 days in a month. Project Achievement In 2006 the team confiscated 70 snares in Tesso Nilo forests landscape within one time operation/monthly. It was really bad In 2009 the number down to 3-5 snares confiscated or found per month Intensive patrol along with the forest crime unit and various partners has bring down cases of wildlife poaching in Tesso Nilo, including the decrease rate of new encroachers coming in to the park. Through the patrol, the death rate of wildlife from poaching cases has also decreased in the past five years. It helps stabilizing the population and halting further killing of tiger because of poaching, the patrol also help pushing and strengthening law enforcement process (by providing evidences and list of potential suspects) Challenge Being threatened by illegal trader, terrorize by phone, but he see it as normal consequences of his job. Feels supported by his family as they understand the risk of his job Being threatened and stopped by a group of encroachers in Tesso Nilo when doing patrol Since 2006 he no longer directly involve in investigation of tiger trade or poaching anymore because people has already known his face, following several articles highlighting his work published in media. Since then his work focus more on coordination of the TPUs and wildlife monitoring team. Work History: • Provided support for arresting tiger poachers in Bukit Tigapuluh NP (a suspect was put in jail), 2001 • Facilitated an arrest of tiger killing suspect in Tesso Nilo, 2004 (the suspects were wanted) • Facilitated the authorities (MoF) in the chase and arrest of encroachment suspects in Tesso Nilo and Rimbang Baling, 2007 • Provided support for the arrest of elephant poacher in Rokan Hulu in 2005 and facilitated the process to the court case (one of the poachers was sentenced for 5 years imprisonment) • Advisor of ‘Harimau Kita’ (an NGO forum) in a division that deal with trafficking and enforcement, 2008 • Currently assisting the investigation and court case process on the killing of 4 Sumatran tigers in Tembilahan, Riau that took place in February 2009. (two suspects has been detained and now on the process of trial) Additional background information: Of and on since 2001, WWF has been operating Tiger Patrol Units in Riau, Sumatra. Currently, two patrols of 8 people protect critically endangered Sumatran tigers from poaching and illegal trade. They patrol key habitats and collects data on illegal trade by identifying shops that sell tiger parts, investigating trade routes and identifying the players in this deadly “game”. The data are shared with local authorities who are urged to pursue the identified poachers and traders. Human-tiger conflicts in Riau are frequent and seemingly increasing. Both sides suffer. Livestock and sometimes even people get killed. Tigers are captured and often killed. The Tiger Patrol helps prevent human-tiger conflict by teaching villagers about tiger behavior and how to avoid contact with them. Southern Riau holds four priority Tiger Conservation Landscapes as identified by Tiger conservationists in 2006. These TCLs are each anchored by a protected area namely Bukit Tigapuluh National Park (BTPNP), Rimbang Baling Wildlife Reserve, Tesso Nilo National Park, and Kerumutan Wildlife Reserve; this forms a broader 30,000 km2 conservation landscape that could be connected by forest corridors and contains some of the largest remaining blocks of lowland rainforest in Sumatra |
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