Farwiza Farhan

Chairperson, Forest, Nature and Environment Aceh (HAkA)

“My favourite animal to see in the wild and to photograph is, amusingly, one that I have never truly encountered in the wilderness. It’s the Sumatran tiger, the king of the jungle.

Despite being the smallest of its species, the tiger possesses magnificent beauty and pride, unrivalled by any other animals that roam the thick, wild jungles of Sumatra in Indonesia.

Hidden behind thick jungle, the tiger is clouded in charismatic mystery. Legend has it that an encounter with a tiger will cause your soul to momentarily leave your body, and you’ll be stricken with a sense of powerlessness, unable to run, hide or scream. Then, once the tiger turns and leaves you behind, floods of relief and gratitude fill your bloodstream and you’ll be wondering what just happened.

I was born in the Year of the Tiger and it probably influenced me a bit. The personality associated with the tiger is somewhat embodied in me. I would describe that with persistence and slight arrogance. I’m unwilling to be ruled, untameable.

Tigers are the rulers of the jungle. The food chain comes with the big predator on the top. They play such an important role to make sure everything else fits in and doesn’t get over populated. They keep the ecosystem in balance.

The Sumatran tiger is one of four key endangered species in Indonesia’s Leuser Ecosystem in Indonesia, along with the Sumatran orangutan, Sumatran Rhino and Sumatran Elephant, who all need urgent attention. It’s the last place on Earth where they all still roam wild.”

Photo by Paul Hilton