Video of a tapir roaming East Sumatra Cross Road Register 45, Mesuji Regency, Lampung, circulated on social media. The protected wildlife was then slaughtered by a group of people.
Tapirs are rare mammals with only four species in the world. Tapirus indicus, found in Sumatra and other Southeast Asian countries, has endangered status according to The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list.
The incident raised questions about modern human civilization. While prehistoric humans hunted to meet basic needs, modern humans have the choice to step back and let animals return to their habitats. Philosopher Hans Jonas, in his work The Imperative of Responsibility (1984), emphasises that human capability must be accompanied by moral responsibility, including consideration for the sustainability of life in the future.
Conflict between humans and wildlife is a complex issue. Last year, an eight-year-old girl in Pekanbaru died after being attacked by a Sumatran elephant, and a plantation worker in Riau was found dead from a Sumatran tiger attack. To minimise risk, the government and communities need to establish response protocols at the village level, conduct mapping of conflict-prone areas, and involve local communities in prevention strategies.
Basic response protocols when encountering wildlife include maintaining distance, not pursuing, not feeding, not creating crowds, and immediately reporting to authorities. Every village around animal habitats needs easy connection to relevant authorities' contact information so that first response is no longer based on panic.
