Officials in Indonesia are investigating the death of one of the world's rarest tigers after the animal died during attempts to transport it to a wildlife sanctuary in Java. According to the BBC, the Sumatran tiger was being taken from Banda Aceh on Sumatra island to Java, but was instead taken back to Banda Aceh after a stopover.
The series of events leading up to the tiger's death are unclear but an autopsy revealed that the tiger died from severe trauma, the BBC reported. The Associated Press reported that the tiger was found to have a broken leg and facial injuries.
According to officials, the animal died as it was being taken back to Banda Aceh from Medan. Afran Absory, a state conservation agency chief, told the AFP, "When the tiger arrived [back] in Banda Aceh on the same day, we found that it was already dead."
According to the BBC, wildlife officials said the animal may have been mistreated during its trip and that some passengers on the flight complained of "unpleasant odors." However, a spokesperson for Garuda Indonesia airlines told reporters that proper procedures in the animal's transport were followed.
Absory also told reporters that the foul smell could be attributed to the tiger's companions, a gibbon and two bearcats. "We are seeking clarification from the airline as they returned the tiger to Banda Aceh without informing our official who was flying with them."
The tiger, which was found with blood coming out its nose when it died on Wednesday, was part of a small group of Sumatran tigers left in the wild. The BBC reported that estimates put the endangered species at about 400 tigers.
Reporters for the BBC reported that the eight-year-old male tiger that died on Wednesday was rescued from a forest in Aceh province in 2010. Sumatran tigers have been in danger due to increased human infiltration of their diminishing habitats.
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