Indonesia wants to make it possible to adopt Sumatran tigers in a bid to prevent their extinction at the hands of poachers and logging companies. Only around 400 tigers remain.

Wealthy Indonesians with 76,000 euros a year to spare can rent the tigers from the state, provided that they house the animals in a cage of at least six by ten metres and agree to regular inspections by vets and government officials.

The scheme is aimed at animals which already live in captivity. A government official says a large number of orders have already been received.

Greenpeace has criticised the plan, arguing that the Indonesian authorities would do better to focus on tackling the problem of deforestation.