Three critically endangered Sumatran tigers were found dead in Indonesia on Sunday, with all of the animals ensnared by traps.
The first two tigers were found by local conservationists in Aceh with their feet caught in steel slings at a palm oil plantation. Police found a third dead tiger a few hours later about 1,600 feet away from the other two tigers, with its feet also ensnared, according to Phys.org.
“Our initial suspicion is that the tigers died after being caught by a boar trap, because when we found them their feet were ensnared by thick steel sling,” local police Chief Hendra Sukmana said in a Sunday statement.
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Autopsies will be conducted on all three of the tigers, and the Aceh Conservation Agency will take “strict action” if the tests reveal the deaths of the tigers were intentional, Agus Arianto, the agency’s head, said Monday.
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Fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers are estimated to be remaining in the world, with deforestation and poaching contributing to the decreasing population. Anyone caught hunting Sumatran tigers in Indonesia can face jail time and receive steep fines, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
