Viral Video Shows Tapir Roaming Lampung Highway

A video capturing a tapir, a protected species, walking along the Trans-Sumatra Highway in the Register 45 area of Mesuji Regency, Lampung, has gone viral on social media. The footage, lasting about 17 seconds, shows the distinctive black-and-white striped tapir moving on the road, causing motorcyclists to slow down as they passed. The person recording the video followed the animal from behind, while onlookers stopped to observe it before it entered the roadside vegetation.

Local wildlife authorities, represented by the Head of Conservation Section III Lampung at the Bengkulu Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA), Itno Itoyo, stated they had not yet received an official report regarding this specific sighting. However, Itoyo confirmed that tapirs have been sighted in the Register 45 Mesuji area between 2022 and 2023. The BKSDA plans to investigate the video's authenticity and the tapir's current presence in the location.

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There have been no reports yet. However, previously, around 2022 to 2023, there were indeed reports that tapirs were still found in the Register 45 Mesuji area.

Itoyo explained that the Register 45 area is still considered a potential habitat for tapirs, making their appearance possible, though confirmation requires on-site checks. He also issued a public advisory, urging residents not to approach, feed, or provoke any wild animals they might encounter. The public is requested to immediately report any sightings of tapirs near roads or residential areas to the relevant authorities. This incident highlights the ongoing need for wildlife conservation and public awareness in areas where human infrastructure intersects with natural habitats.

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We ask the public not to feed, not to take actions that can provoke the animal, and to immediately report to officers if they see the tapir again around residential areas or the highway.