Indragiri Hulu (CatraMedia.com) – A man named Buntet (27) was attacked by two tigers while collecting damar resin in the forest area of Sungai Balam, Nunusan, Rantau Langsat Village, Batang Gansal District, Indragiri Hulu Regency, on Monday morning (20/10/2025).
The Head of the Technical Division at the Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA), Ujang Holisudin, said the incident occurred around 9 a.m. in an area that belongs to the traditional zone of Bukit Tiga Puluh National Park (TNBT).
“At the time, the victim was collecting damar resin to repair his boat,” Ujang explained on Wednesday (22/10/2025).
Before the attack, Buntet heard tiger roars from a distance but ignored them as he was used to the sounds of wild animals in the forest. Shortly after, two tigers appeared — an adult female and her cub. The mother tiger attacked Butet’s left leg, while the cub bit his right knee.
“Based on our observation, the mother tiger was likely teaching her cub how to hunt,” Ujang said.
Despite being injured, Butet managed to fight back by hitting the cub on the face, causing it to back off. The mother tiger then released her grip and left the area with her cub.
Covered in blood, Butet walked toward the nearest settlement. Around 12:30 p.m., local residents found him and took him to Siberida Community Health Center. He was later transferred to Indrasari Regional Hospital in Rengat for intensive medical treatment.
After receiving the report, the BBKSDA team and Bukit Tiga Puluh National Park officers visited the scene and met the victim and his family. They also urged residents to stay alert when entering forest areas.
“We remind people not to go alone into the forest and to report any signs of wild animals to local authorities,” Ujang added.
He explained that the Sumatran tiger is a critically endangered species according to the IUCN Red List. Human–tiger conflicts often occur in Riau due to shrinking tiger habitats near conservation areas.
“BBKSDA, together with TNBT and the village administration, continues to monitor the area to ensure residents’ safety and protect the Sumatran tiger population,” Ujang said.
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