'Take home' tiger plan hits green bottleneck

JAKARTA: An Indonesian government proposal offering rare Sumatran tigers up for adoption by wealthy citizens has drawn scorn from environmental activists, who say it's the wrong approach to conservation.

There are only 400 Sumatran tigers left in Indonesia, where deforestation has destroyed much of their native habitat and they are hunted for traditional medicines and illegal menageries.

Tiger "adoption" - where a pair can be rented out as pets in exchange for a 1 billion rupiah ($107,100) deposit - could help curb illegal hunting and trade, a Forestry Ministry official said on Friday.