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Extremely Rare Pregnant Tiger Killed After Being Caught In Pig Trap

Extremely Rare Pregnant Tiger Killed After Being Caught In Pig Trap

There are only around 400 Sumatran Tigers left in the world, with 40 killed each year for illegal trade

Rachael Grealish

Rachael Grealish

A critically endangered Sumatran tiger has been tragically killed by a pig trap in Indonesia.

When the four-year-old tiger was found dead earlier this week, it was clear she wasn't the only casualty of the trap - she was pregnant with two cubs.

Barcroft

The big cat was found in a ravine in the province of Riau, Indonesia, days after being caught in the trap.

Authorities believe the mother-to-be was carrying two unborn cubs, one male and one female, both of whom were lost.

Ultimately, she died from a ruptured kidney after actually managing to escape from the trap, but part of the snare stayed wrapped around her body.

She was found by authorities about 150 metres from where the trap had been set.

Getty

The New York Times reports that the head of a local wildlife conservation, named Suharyono, said: "We deeply regret the death of the protected animal.

"The tiger was pregnant with male and female cubs."

It was confirmed by officers that they have detained the person that set the trap.

Sumatran tigers are the most critically endangered tiger subspecies, with numbers estimated to have dwindled to a devastating 400.

Earlier in the year, villagers in northern Indonesia slaughtered a tiger as they reportedly believed it was a supernatural creature.

Because the tiger had mauled at least one resident in the village, in North Sumatra, and villagers thought it was a 'Siluman' - a shapeshifting spirit.

Tragically, the poor creature's body was found completely disemboweled and hung on a wooden plank from the ceiling of a public hall in the village.

There is an estimated 40 Sumatran tigers killed per year for the illegal animal trade, giving a clear indication of the extent of the damage inflicted on endangered species by poaching.

But despite the evident problems created by poaching, the accelerated loss of habitat is more of an immediate threat to the animals.

The WWF reported deforestation transforms the tigers' wooded homes into plantations, often leaving the creatures unable to subsist in the smaller areas of forest land left behind.

Extinct: A race against time to save our endangered species. Read more from our campaign here

Featured Image Credit: Getty

Topics: Extinct, World News, News, Animals