TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A Javan Leopard (Panthera pardus melas) was visually spotted in Cikepuh conservation park located in Sukabumi, West Java. Their activities at the park were captured by a number of the camera traps installed throughout the conservation park.
The Javan leopard was previously thought to have been locally extinct caused by poaching and encroachment activities in the past. The earliest series of destruction experienced by the conservation happened throughout the 1998-2001 period.
Head of the West Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA), Sustyo Iriyono, explained that this encounter was made possible by the observation conducted by their joint operation together with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) throughout July-August 2016.
The observation was initiated by information provided by researchers from universities, local residents, and International Animal Rescue’s primate survey results, that discovered traces left by the Javan leopards in the area. The traces were in a form of scratch marks, feces, and footsteps.
Camera traps were placed at the locations that are considered to be the leopard’s trail. The 28-day observation captured seven video frames that show the leopards’ activities at the Cikepuh park. Based on the video, there are four leopards living in the area, namely three leopards of yellow spots species and one leopard of black spots species.
It is estimated that 12 leopards are currently living in the area, although further observation would be needed to determine the exact number of leopards and their sex ratio.
KLHK will also prepare programs, such as leopard inventory, conflict mitigation, forest fire control, development of the core zone, the reintroduction of other wildlife species, and restoration of wildlife habitat.
ANTARA
