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Tiger
The five species of tiger have been revered throughout recorded time. Even on the walls of cavemen they have been depicted. The Chinese have made them into greater than life beings with supernational powers. The interaction between the tiger and mankind has always been mixed with fear. They have been hunted relentless because of this fear and for their beautiful coats which was a very prized trophy in years past.
Each year, fewer tigers remain in the wild.
It is estimated that there are now fewer than 8000 tigers left in the wild. And that number is dropping fast!
Tigers, the largest of all wild cats, are known world-wide as magnificent hunters and symbols of beauty and grace within the animal kingdom. They have cultural significance in many of the Southeast Asian lands where they are found, and are frequently a source of inspiration for art, music and poetry. They are also a critically endangered species as a result of exploitation by humans and continuing pressures on their shrinking habitats.
Tigers serve two vital roles in determining the ecology of the regions where they live. First, because they are large mammals with wide territories, saving tigers requires saving many miles of jungle to protect one cat. As a result, all the creatures and plants living in that area are protected when tiger conservation efforts are implemented, making the tiger an "umbrella species." Second, since the tiger holds a place at the top of the food chain, other animal and plant population sizes are determined and stabilized by the tiger's presence and eating habits.
Originally, there were eight known species of tigers in the world. In the past half century, three of these species have become extinct, due primarily to over-hunting and habitat loss. The remaining five species can only be found in remote areas such as Siberia, the Mangrove swamps of northeast India, and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The current crisis facing the surviving tiger species can be traced to two equally distressing threats.
The first and most pressing threat is the rampant poaching of wild tigers, which has resulted from an increase in the demand for tiger body parts to be used in traditional Chinese medicines. Because users of these medicines have exhausted the tiger bone stockpiles from tiger extermination programs in the early 1900's, poachers are now killing wild tigers in every country with existing populations to supply tiger body parts. And the high demand for tiger bones and other body parts, coupled with weak legal protections and poor enforcement, make trafficing in this illegal trade highly profitable. Shrinking Habitat The second threat causing tiger populations to dwindle is habitat loss and degradation due to enormous population pressures. India, home to two-thirds of the world's tigers, has a human population approaching one billion, a number that could double in the next 36 years if current trends continue.
