ON THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION - A - THE TIGER (Panthera tigris)

[peter]

SUMATRA

The Dutch, as you most probably know, have been in Indonesia for quite some time. I grew up in a period in which those who had been employed in Indonesia had to return to the Netherlands. 

Most of them had never been in Europe. Adapting wasn't easy. Insulinde was in their heart all the time. I know, because I knew some who had returned. They were my neighbours and told me about Java, Borneo, Celebes, Sumatra, New Guinea and many other islands. They showed me photographs of animals I never heard of and told me about 'were-tigers'. 

When I got older, I bought books written by hunters and naturalists. Sumatra in particular got my attention. The descriptions and the photographs suggested it must have been a kind of Eden. Those who knew the island intimately confirmed it was special. Just over half a century ago, most of Sumatra was covered by forest.  

In the last decades, the situation rapidly changed. Sumatra was invaded by humans. Most of them were so poor they had no option but to cut the forest in order to grow a few crops. When large firms joined them not much later, destruction was accelerated. You know about the results.

I know a few organisations are trying to save what's left. I also know there are laws saying you can't burn the forest and all that. But nobody really cares. The Eden so vividly described by many is all but gone.

All quiet on the eastern front then? Not quite. Every now and then, one reads a report about Sumatra, Kalimantan (Borneo) or one of the other islands going up in smoke. When it's real bad, they show you pictures taken by satellites on the news. What you see is smoke and more smoke. In Singapore and the southern part of Malaysia, the young, the old and those struggling with their health suffer. So much so, that schools are closed.

This year, it was very bad. In some parts of Indonesia, the smog turned red:

*This image is copyright of its original author

Here's a report I found on the site of the Dutch National Broadcasting Company (NOS) a few days ago. It has a telling video and a few photographs. You have to use the translator:       
      
https://nos.nl/artikel/2303054-lucht-kleurt-bloedrood-in-indonesie-dit-is-negatief-spectaculair.html

A post in the tiger thread and not a word about tigers? Well, not quite. The video is from Jambi, one of the regions that still has a few tigers. Tigers don't live in cities. They live in forests. As the forests in Jambi are burning, chances are the tigers left. Reply