A rare sighting of a critically endangered Sumatran tiger has been captured on camera in a remote Indonesian forest — offering a powerful sign of hope in advance of International Tiger Day on Tuesday. The video, recorded using hidden camera traps in Batutegi Protection Forest in Lampung, Sumatra, confirms that these elusive big cats still roam the region. Fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers remain in the wild, making every confirmed sighting scientifically significant.
The footage was gathered by Indonesian conservation group Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia (YIARI), working alongside the Forestry Department of Lampung Province and global charity International Animal Rescue (IAR). It marks the first confirmed tiger presence in the forest since 2009. YIARI’s Richard Moore said: “To be able to document the species again, more than a decade later, is incredibly encouraging.
“It reminds us that hope remains, and with the right mix of technology, partnerships, and community-based conservation, there is still time to safeguard their future.”
Unlike a national park, Batutegi does not benefit from high-profile protection or funding. But the area is rich in biodiversity and plays a vital role in local water catchment and erosion control.
Mr Moore said: “This forest is rich in biodiversity, from Sumatran tigers to Sunda pangolins. It plays a critical ecological role — not just for wildlife, but also for local water systems and erosion control.”
The breakthrough is the result of years of work combining drone surveillance, satellite data, and community-led patrols.
Central to the effort is the Integrated Forest Crime Alert System (IFCAS), which uses real-time data to detect and respond to illegal logging and hunting. It is now being rolled out in partnership with local forest officials at KPH Batutegi.
Mr Bruce said: “The work being done in Batutegi is a brilliant example of how grassroots, community-led conservation can deliver sustainable and positive benefits for both people and nature.
“This tiger is a symbol of everything we stand to lose and everything we still have the power to protect.”
IAR and YIARI are now urging governments, conservationists, and the public to back efforts in overlooked forests like Batutegi — areas which may hold the key to saving some of the world’s most endangered wildlife.
