Tigers, Cameras, and Satellites: Interdisciplinary Efforts to Map the Habitat and Threats of the Last Sumatran Tigers

Author: Philip J. Nyhus
Organization: Colby College

5720 Mayflower Hill
Waterville, ME 04901
USA

Phone: 207-872-3763
Fax: 207-872-3731
pjnyhus@colby.edu

Indonesia once had three subspecies of tiger. Today, two are extinct and only 500 wild Sumatran tigers remain. We describe an interdisciplinary and international effort under the Sumatran Tiger Project to map the habitat, threats, and distribution of this rare species. Field research, satellite imagery, and existing maps were used in this assessment. We illustrate how GIS can be used effectively by field researchers and support staff where conditions are rugged and technical tools and literacy limited. This strategy is an effective approach to link field and GIS researchers and offers a model for others carrying out similar studies.