Geneva – A leading environmental group on Tuesday warned that the exotic Sumatran tiger was bound for extinction if the government of Indonesia did not crack down on illegal trading in the endangered species.

The WWF said only 400-500 tigers remained on the island of Sumatra as hunters continue to kill the animal commercially and for sport.

"Tigers all over the world are under threat from poaching, loss of habitat and conflict with nearby human populations. Now, the Sumatran tiger is on the brink of extinction,." said Dr Susan Lieberman, a WWF director, in a statement.

"With so few left, there are doubts about whether the population is still viable," she added.

Tiger skins, claws and teeth are widely sold in Indonesia as trophies, charms and souvenirs, the WWF said in a report.