Rare Sumatran tiger killed by electric fence

There are fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild and environmental activists say the animals are increasing coming into contact with people as a result of their natural habitat being lost due to deforestation.

The two-metre (six foot) male tiger was electrocuted on Monday in Jambi province in the centre of Sumatra, Indonesia's largest island, a provincial conservation agency chief, Trisiswo, told AFP.

He said it was the second time this year a tiger had died as a result of the electric fences installed by locals to protect palm oil plantations.

"The tiger's body was partly charred but unlike the first incident, the body was still intact," he said. Locals had sold some of the body parts of the tiger that was killed last month.

Trisiswo said people in the village of Air Laut Hitam village had encircled their palm oil plantations with the high-voltage electric wires to keep out wild animals and had refused to abide by local rules banning the practice.

"We reported the case to local police to act firmly against them and we'll cooperate with local administration to stop this dangerous practice," he said.

(c) 2011 AFP