絶滅危惧種であるスマトラトラを救うための新制度をインドネシア政府が打ち出した。その新制度は、つがいのスマトラトラの飼育を保証金１０億ルピア（約９６０万円）で一般人にゆだねるというもの。その保証金はスマトラトラの保護活動に充てられるというが、今のところその資金の管理先は明らかではない。
「わたし達はトラを売るわけでもなく、貸し出す訳ではありません。一般の人々にトラの世話をする許可を与えるだけです。トラは政府の財産として属しているため、貸し出しの許可を受けた人々はトラに対し特定の環境を保つこと義務付けられます。」と同国林業省はAFP通信に伝えた。
“ペット”となるつがいのトラのオーナーは最低60m²の敷地をトラに与えることを要求される。政府がトラの健康状態を定期的に調査し、不適切な飼育をした飼い主には罰金が課される。AFP通信によると、同政府の新制度は「富の証としてトラを飼いたい」という資産家の要望が元になったという。
 スマトラトラ 写真：Rhett A. Butler. |
しかし、自然保護関係者らはこの新政策に懐疑的である。
政府はペットとしてトラを売るのではなく、減少するスマトラトラの生息地の保護を優先するべきだと自然保護関係者は言う。現在、木材やパーム椰子栽培のための森林破壊はトラの生息地を荒廃させている状態であり、それに加えて飼育下のトラを個人客に販売するという行為は、これまでトラの生息数を激減させたブラックマーケットをより刺激するだけだけだと警鐘を鳴らす。
トラは世界でもっとも大きなネコ科の動物であり、そしてもっとも危険な哺乳類である。ペットとして予測のつかない動物であり、長期にわたって調教を受けたトラでさえも攻撃することがある。長年ラスベガスでトラと共に活動していた著名イリュージョニスト、Roy Horn氏もステージで瀕死の重傷を負った。
トラの亜種であるスマトラトラは、IUCNレッドリストの絶滅危惧種IA類に指定されている。近年、野生のスマトラトラによる重症被害や死亡事件が何件も報告されており、急激に進んだ森林破壊が残りわずか２００頭と推測されたトラの生息地を狭めている。彼らと地元民の距離は縮まるばかりだ。
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