A tiger, one of the spectacular animals in the world, is now the most endangered species. This cat is the symbol of courage, strength and beauty. It is the master of all, except for the humans. The global population of wild tigers is estimated to be between 3,062 and 3,948. And World Wide Fund approximately calculated that the tiger population is 3,200.
Current Status of Tiger Subspecies
There are 6 subspecies of tigers at present.
Existing Tiger Subspecies:
- Siberian or Amur (Panthera tigris altaica)
- Bengal or Indian tiger (Panthera tigris tigris)
- Indochinese tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti)
- Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni)
- South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis)
- Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae)
- Bali
- Javan
- Caspian tigers
Why are tigers getting extinct?
Tiger skin, claws and teeth (especially Sumatran tigers) have great demand across Southeast Asia and several parts of Asia. Traditional medicines are made from tiger bone and other body parts. Deforestation is also contributing to the destruction of their habitats. Poachers are still continuing with their illegal trading of tiger parts.
Here's a video about Save Tigers by World Bank
Poaching Methods
1. Poison - This is usually done by placing poison in the carcasses of domestic buffaloes and cows.
2. Steel Traps - These traps were very strong and set everywhere in the forest. The villagers were frightened to go to forests, because, many people who went there received dreadful injuries.
3. Firearms - These were used in hunting tigers with little hindrance.
4. Electrocution - Tigers were electrocuted by live electrical wires carrying 230V to 11000V in animal tracts.
Why do we need to save tigers?
1. Tiger is our National Animal.
The Royal animal, the tiger was chosen as our National animal because of its strength, grace, agility, elegance, endurance, intelligence and power.
2. The tiger plays a pivotal role in the health and diversity of ecosystems.
It is the top predator in the food chain and regulates the wild population. Therefore, it is the indicator of a healthy ecosystem.
3. Protects genetic diversity.
Protection of tigers automatically conserves many other flora and fauna. It saves the genetic diversity in the ecosystem.
4. Tigers save our forests.
When the Dodos were extinct in Mauritius, a species of Acacia tree stopped generating. So, we can say that when a species goes extinct, then it leaves behind a scar, which is going to affect the entire ecosystem.
There are some conservation steps taken by International governments to protect tigers, which I'll be dealing in the next article.
Tags: Save tigers, extinction of tigers, project tiger, how to protect tigers, why are tigers in the verge of extinction, measures taken to conserve tigers, why should we save tigers, fauna
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Published on April 17th, 2014
Updated:
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