Community Perspectives on Engaging Stakeholders for Human-Sumatran Tiger Coexistence in the Bukit Barisan Selatan Landscape

The Bukit Barisan Selatan (BBS) landscape, a vital habitat for the Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), is increasingly degraded and fragmented by plantation and agricultural expansion, driving tigers into human-dominated areas and creating conflict zones beyond conservation boundaries. However, despite global frameworks like the Kunming-Montreal 2050 Biodiversity Framework and IUCN advocating coexistence by integrating ecological and socio-economic priorities, the practical implementation at the site level remains uncertain, particularly regarding local perspectives on coexistence and their alignment with competing stakeholder interests. This study analyzes the alignment of parties in the context of the potential coexistence of human-tiger conflicts in the landscape based on local community perspectives. The BBS landscape in this study includes Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP), Pesisir Barat Forest Management Unit (KPH Pesisir Barat), and surrounding villages. We employed literature reviews, interviews, and the MACTOR analysis tool in our analysis. Findings reveal that forest managers (BBSNP, FMU Pesisir Barat) and local communities are key stakeholders, with Forest Rangers as crucial links between conservation policy and communities. Effective communication and coordination by rangers and extension officers foster local compliance, but coexistence remains challenging due to frequent human-tiger conflicts in open areas and mixed-tree plantations, including within conservation zones. Divergence of objectives exists between ecological actors prioritizing tiger population enhancement and socio-economic actors prioritizing human security and land access, necessitating a more balanced and holistic approach to ensure long-term sustainability. The study concludes that integrating ecological and socio-economic objectives through stakeholder collaboration, meeting the needs of local communities, and considering their land rights and access in conservation planning is critical to ensure communities are direct beneficiaries and prevent conflicts of interest in sustainable human-tiger conservation efforts.