The Tiger's Extinction, an Inevitable Future?
With Bali, Caspian & Javan Tigers Extinct, Only 6 Sub-Species Remain
Sep 23, 2009
Tigers are universally treasured. Children treasure them in zoos and circuses. Adults treasure them in the magic shows of Las Vegas and similar venues. Most treasure tigers as symbols of majesty, power, courage, and grace, something to be respected and admired. But for peoples sharing their habitats, they treasure tigers for their pelts and the purported mystical powers of their organs.
Tigers (Panthera tigris) were once made up of nine sub-species, each with unique characteristics that made them kings of the animal kingdom. According to Tigersincrisis.com:
"Of the eight original subspecies of tigers, three have become extinct in the last 60 years, an average of one every 20 years. The Bali tiger became extinct in the 1930s. The Caspian tiger was forced into extinction in the 1970s. And the Javan tiger followed in the 1980s. And the journey towards extinction continues for the other subspecies."
The Malayan tiger was only recently characterized as a ninth sub-species.
Common Characteristics Amongst Tiger Sub-Species
The six remaining sub-species are: Bengal, Siberian, South China, Malayan, Sumatran, and Indo-Chinese. Many characteristics unite these sub-species; only the informed can tell them apart. Male Siberian tigers can weigh over 600 lbs. and are almost 11 feet long. The other sub-species are smaller, weighing around 400 lbs. and reaching 10 feet long. Females (tigresses) of all sub-species weigh considerably less. Tigers have retractable claws, padded feet, strong jaws, and canines larger than any other feline's. Their tails can be three feet long.
Tigers exhibit what is called a "cline." This occurs when members of a species adapt to their particular environments, creating sub-species with different physical traits. Northern tiger sub-species are bigger, with denser fur and lighter fur and stripe coloration than their southern counterparts.
Current Range of the Tiger Population
Tigers were once widespread across Asia. Today, tiger populations are small and scarce. According to Tigerincrisis.com, wild tigers can be found in "Eastern Russia, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Lao Peoples' Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), North Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Bhutan, India and Nepal." They primarily reside in isolated pockets in the dense forests and jungles of India and Southeast Asia, extending north to Siberia. They prefer to live near water sources, in which they can be seen swimming and relaxing.
Reasons Why Tigers Are Endangered
Spread across so many countries, one might think tigers are thriving. On the contrary, they are critically endangered. Per the World Wildlife Federation (WWF), less than 4,000 wild tigers remain.
How can a species clearly on top of the food chain be so decimated? Like many endangered species, humans are responsible for tiger depletion. Tigers have been hunted by humans since ancient times. According to the WWF, "tigers are poisoned, shot, trapped and snared, and the majority of these animals are sought to meet the demands of a continuing illegal wildlife trade - which includes traditional Chinese medicine." The tiger's organs are claimed to be powerful aphrodisiacs or to have healing or poisoning abilities. Between 1999 and 2003, says Defenders of Wildlife, poachers in India alone "slaughtered more than 100 tigers and by late 2004 had wiped out all 28 in the world-famous Sariska tiger reserve."
Hunting and poaching are not the only human threats to tigers. Agriculture has encroached upon tiger habitation. "[P]erhaps the greatest long-term threats are the loss of habitat and the depletion of the tiger's natural prey," says the WWF.
Conservation of Remaining Tiger Sub-Species
Although the Chinese are foremost amongst those responsible for illegally killing tigers, engaging in the sale of their fur and organs, and destroying tiger habitats, China has banned the hunting of tigers and the trade of tiger-based products. Nevertheless, illegal poaching remains considerable, and China must do more to enforce its bans. Likewise can be said of most nations where tigers are found save for Russia, whose ban on tiger hunting and product trading has stabilized its tiger population.
The WWF believes that preserving particular tiger habitats and creating tiger reserves are the best methods to preserving the species. The organization has identified "seven focal tiger landscapes where the chances of long-term tiger conservation are best, and four additional areas where conservation opportunities are good." In each habitat, the WWF "aims to establish and manage effective tiger conservation areas, reduce the poaching of tigers and their prey, eliminate the trade in tiger parts and products, create incentives that will encourage local communities and others to support tiger conservation, and build capacity for tiger conservation."
The WWF's plan for conservation sounds great, but like all plans, it is useless until enacted. Although reserves exist, poaching continues thereon. Stricter penalties and effective enforcement are necessary to prevent extinction of this truly majestic species. Without them, tigers will inevitably vanish from the wild.
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