Story By: Lee Bullen, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

An Indonesian villager has miraculously survived a tiger attack by playing dead on the ground despite suffering serious bites and claw wounds.

The Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica) attacked the man in the district of Gaung in the eastern Indonesian province of Riau.

According to local police, 31-year-old Mardian was collecting wood outside the village of Pungkat with his two pals Bujang and Nahar.

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At that moment, a rare Sumatran tiger leapt out of the undergrowth and attacked Mardian, pinning him down on the ground.

Bujang tried to help by throwing sticks at the big cat while Nahar rushed to the village for help.

A police spokesperson told local media: “Not long after, Nahar came back with Edi. At the time, Mardian was still pinned down by the tiger and had bite wounds on the right side of his back and on his head.”

According to Edi, Mardian played dead and the tiger stood over his motionless body, protecting its prey from the three friends.

Meanwhile, the trio were brandishing machetes and trying to scare off the fearsome feline.

Edi said: “He (Mardian) was lying down, the tiger was next to him. We shooed it, but it did not step back very far while baring its teeth.”

Eventually, the tiger backed off enough for Edi and Bujang to grab Mardian and drag him to safety.

Reports said that the tiger managed to slash Bujang’s chest with its claws, but it was not a serious wound.

Meanwhile, Mardian was rushed to a nearby hospital where he is showing signs of making a full recovery despite the deep wounds he sustained.

The tiger even ripped off most of his left ear, according to local media.

The local authorities have confirmed that they are trying to capture the endangered tiger to prevent it from harming other people.

Villagers have been advised not to go to the same area to collect wood until the big cat is caught.