The Vanishing Tiger Problems tigers face

The main threats tigers face in their fight to survive are:
  1. Poaching
  2. Loss of habitat
Tiger populations are affected by
  1. the availability of prey species
  2. size of habitat
  3. pressure from human activity
  4. climactic conditions
Poaching
There is a great demand on the black market for tiger parts for use in "traditional" Chinese medicine. People who consume tiger "medicines" believe they will absorb the power and force of the tiger, that it will somehow be transferred to them. 10 of the 14 tiger range countries have officially identified trade as a major threat to their tiger populations. Illegal trapping and selling of tigers is perpetuated because there are many people out there who would gladly make a quick buck. With more enforcement, stricter laws and efforts to educate the surrounding communities, there can be an end to tigers being slaughtered in the wild. Unfortunately, most tiger range countries lack the resources needed to curb the illegal trade.

Loss of habitat
Recently it has been shown in Southern Asia that most tiger populations live near high densities of humans and in areas too small to support their future existence. For many years now, humans have been encroaching upon tiger habitat, leaving less land for the tigers. Less habitat means diminished food sources and shrinking land that has to be shared among the remaining tigers, with no room to expand.

To learn more about the tiger's situation, visit Tigers in Crisis: About the Crisis.

Some information taken from http://www.5tigers.org/conferences/t2000/abs2000.htm

previous updated November 27, 2000
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