For thousands of years tigers and man have been in conflict over both food and habitat.

Having been hunted and trapped using increasingly sophisticated

methods, there are now only 3,200 tigers left in the wild.
There are 9 subspecies of tiger, 6 of have managed to survive human persecution; Bengal, Sumatran, Amur, Indochinese, Malayan and the South China
Tiger. However, 3 subspecies have already been hunted to extinction; the Bali, Javan and Caspian Tiger.
The worlds tiger population has declined over the past century by 97%.
(The Guardian, November 2010)
Tigers could be extinct in less than 20 years.
(www.tigertime.info)

Figure 4.

Figure 5.

I do not know how the close proximity of a tiger reacts on others, but me it always leaves with a breathless feeling due possibly as much to fear as to
excitement
(www.guardian.co.uk)
When we think of the wild we often think of the tiger! Tigers are beautiful, strong, majestic creatures which are at the heart of culture all over the world
from traditional Chinese myths to advertising to cartoon characters in well loved films.
Figure 2. Graph showing tiger population and forest cover

Figure 3. Map of Tiger habitats, 93% total loss

What is happening to the tigers?

Tigers are being hunted to the brink of extinction through poaching, an illegal
trade, in which the demand for tiger parts is extremely high. This trade can make
up to $10 billion a year, (www.worldwildlife.org). Tigers are shot and brutally
snared not just from the wild but are also stolen from well-protected reserves
around Asia.
Cubs are sometimes snatched alive to be sold on as pets to big game collectors or
to private zoos worldwide. Cuts in anti-poaching protection due to the poor global
economic situation has meant hunting tigers is now an easier way for people to
make their living. This has led to a decline in Russias Siberian tiger in the last
decade.

Tiger parts are thought to have different uses in various types of

traditional Chinese medicine.

What is being done to save the tigers?

Between 2000 and 2010, parts of 1069 and 1220 tiger were
seized. This is an average of at least 104 animals per year.
(www.guardian.co.uk)

A summit for the survival of tigers was held in 2010, the last year of
the tiger. At this meeting there was discussion of a global tiger
recovery program. The idea behind this is to double the number of
tigers living in the wild by 2022, the next year of the tiger. It is very rare
for a summit to be held for only one species of animal.

In one factory in China, 600 tiger skeletons were found soaking in

alcohol these went on to produce 200,000 bottles of wine.
(www.sfgate.com)

WWF have a goal called TX2 (Tigers x 2), this also involves doubling the
number of tigers in the wild by 2022. They will focus on 12 main
landscapes that the worlds top tiger experts have identified as
offering the best survival chances for the tiger populations across the
different subspecies, (www.worldwildlife.org).

Between 2005 and 2008 it is estimated that 80% of western Nepal's tigers were
killed by poachers
(www.guardian.co.uk)

To achieve these goals various things need to be done. Anti-poaching

protection needs to be stepped up. Consumers of tiger products need
to be educated in the science behind these beautiful creatures in the
hope that they change their habits. Laws relating to the banning of
tiger products need to be maintained and enforced.

Each tiger that is killed increases their rarity in the wild and hence, the price in
which they will collect in the black market increases. A whole tiger can be sold for
more than 32,000!

We need to protect the parklands which tigers inhabit and establish

new protected zones. Create tiger corridors between the parks
allowing the tigers to find food, water and mates for breeding.

They have been shot, trapped, poisoned, and poached to the point of extinction,
and mostly for use in ancient medicines that really don't work Sam Fox
(www.huffingtonpost.co.uk)

Monitoring of tigers kept in captivity is a must and it needs to be

limited as these tigers are not able to roam freely with others.
In the United States there are nearly twice as many tigers living in
captivity as there are in the wild all over the world, from backyards to
roadside zoos, from New York to Texas.

You can do your part by adopting a tiger with WWF.

(https://support.wwf.org.uk/adopt-a-tiger)
Figure 7.

Figure 8.

Why should we save the tigers?

Tigers are an Umbrella species. By conserving them, we also save everything connected to them; their prey, the large forest habitats they need to
survive, as well everything else that lives in these endangered areas of the world: A home for tigers = a home for others (www.wwf.panda.org).
By conserving their forest homes, we are also tackling another important issue of the 21st century: Climate Change. The Sumatran Tiger, for example, is
found in peat forests of Indonesia which covers 18 million acres of land and contains around 36% of the worlds tropical carbon stores, therefore:
Healthy Tiger Population = Healthy Ecosystem

Penis
is eaten
as an
Aphrodisiac

Saving tigers is a compelling and cost-effective means of preserving so much

more that is essential to life on Earth (www.washingtonpost.com)

Figure 6.

References:

Conserving tiger habitats is not only beneficial for the animals but also human populations in the surrounding areas. Leaving natural forests will improve
local water quality as well as providing alternative jobs as: Wild Tigers = More Tourism
Tiger Conservation Projects are set up to work alongside communities to protect the wild tiger population, teach locals how to live alongside them as
well as attract tourism. Not only does this provide full time jobs for locals, but also will create long term protection for the earths biggest cat.
The Tiger has evolved over thousands of years, surviving constant persecution from humans during this time. They have clung to survival in just a few
patches of forest scattered across Asia, and yet now more than ever need our help to stop the increasing threat of poachers hunting them to extinction.

Websites:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/11/AR2010111105607.html http://www.tiger.com.np/stopkilling.html
http://www.savetigersnow.org/solutions
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/tigers/last_of_the_tigers/whysavetiger/ http://www.bioone.org/doi/pdf/10.1641/B570608 http://tigertime.info/the-crisis/why-save-the-tiger
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/09/last-chance-to-save-the-tiger http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/sam-fox/tigers-why-we-must-protect-the-w_b_1067412.html
www.sfgate.com/travel/article/will-traditional-chinese-medicine-mean-the -end-of-3236621.php http://worldwildlife.org/pages/stop-wildlife-crime
Newspaper Articles:
(Guardian article big beast join battle to save big cat 22nd November 2010)
Pictures:
Figure 1. http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Tiger-Rocks1.jpeg Figure 2. http://awsassets.panda.org/img/graph3_363026.jpg Figure 3. http://www.bioone.org/doi/pdf/10.1641/B570608
Figure 4. http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4c63r1fc21rpj9z7o1_500.jpg Figure 5. http://img3.etsystatic.com/000/0/6315841/il_fullxfull.267822883.jpg Figure 6. http://www.plasticoceans.net/wp-content/uploads/WWFlogo.gif Figure 7. http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll163/tracyhcole/ANIMAL%20RIGHTS/7CobraLeuthaiTiger2004-WildAid.jpg Figure 8. http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01216/tiger-poaching_1216626b.jpg

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