A Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica) was recorded by a surveillance camera (CCTV) entering the mosque grounds in Lubuk Selasih, Batang Barus Village, Solok Regency, West Sumatra, last Friday (31/5/2024). From the circulating CCTV video footage, the tiger can be seen entering from the back of the mosque and walking around the grounds.

After walking around for about three minutes, the tiger then left and disappeared into the bushes behind the mosque.

The West Sumatra BKSDA estimates that the tiger is two years old based on the size of the footprints which are six centimeters in diameter.

To anticipate conflict, local residents together with the West Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) team chased the tiger away with the sound of a hollow cannon blast from entering back into the forest.

The Head of Batang Barus Village, Syamaul Azward, said that the mosque that was built was once one of the Sumatran tiger crossing routes because the Batang Barus Village area was surrounded by forests which were part of the Bukit Barisan wildlife reserve and nature reserve.

“Previously in 2023, tigers were also seen in the forest behind the mosque here. "For residents, if they encounter a tiger, they don't hurt or kill them, they just chase them away or chase them away," said Syamaul Azward.

It is known that in 2022, local residents also saw on camera footage two adult Sumatran tigers and their cubs walking in the forest behind the mosque.

"We estimate that the tiger cub that was recorded in 2022 was the one that entered the courtyard of the mosque which is located directly adjacent to the Bukit Barisan forest area. The tiger cub is already big now if you look at the CCTV footage," said Syamaul Azward.