Tigers

Extinct Tiger Species

Those that don’t take the alarmingly low numbers of the various species of tigers serious need to take a look at those that are no longer with us. There are some species of tigers that have been extinct for a very long time. We certainly don’t want to add to the list of them by seeing any of the species we still have around becoming a thing of the past.

The Balinese Tiger became extinct in 1937 and until that time they resided on the Island of Bali. They were very small tigers and their extinction was due to being hunted in large numbers. Sadly there weren’t any types of protection back then so hunting them for sport, to clear areas, and even for food was ongoing. None of the Balinese Tigers are known to have ever been kept in captivity.

In the 1950’s the Caspian Tiger became extinct. There were believed to be a subspecies of the Siberian Tiger. This was a huge loss to the people of Asia due to the huge connection that their culture has to the Caspian Tiger. You will still find it in their literature and their artwork. This symbol of bravery, strength, endurance, and life is one that they continue to pass on to new generations.

The last species of tigers to become extinct occurred in the 1980’s with the Javan Tiger. Their loss was due to the combination of hunting as well as their natural habitat being destroyed. However, some people reported seeing them in the 1990’s but it could never be confirmed that was indeed the species of tiger that they saw.

The biggest problem is that tigers had such a terrible stereotype of so long. That is something that continues on a huge level still today as well. Tigers aren’t out there stalking men to eat them or violent animals as so many people want to believe. Instead they are solitary creatures that are simply trying to survive. The false information that continues to circulate about them though means many people don’t view them as worthy of protecting or saving.

What is absolutely imperative to learn from all of this is that we have already allowed 3 of the tiger species to be wiped completely off the face of the Earth. The remaining 6 species are all in jeopardy of suffering the same fate. Some of them have drastically low numbers that could indicate they will be extinct in less than 10 years. This isn’t a reality that any of us should be willing to be a part of.

Even with effective types of conservation in place right now, these tigers are in real danger. Most people simply don’t realize that their numbers are that low. Education is a big part of the solution to this problem. Once people realize how close the species of tigers are to extinction the more likely they are to jump onboard and help out. However, it is going to be too late if people that aren’t part of the solution don’t start seeing the light very soon.

Once a tiger species does become extinct, we can never get that part of our world back. They become part of history but never part of the future. Don’t assume that keeping some of these species alive in zoos is the answer to the problem. You simply can’t breed them with good genetics as the number of them dwindles due to the close relationships of their DNA. Let’s all learn from past mistakes and make our world one that does include the species of tigers we have left.

Indochinese Tiger

The Indochinese Tiger is found in areas of Vietnam, Thailand, China, and Cambodia. They are known to have a darker color of orange on their coat then the other species of tigers. Full grown the weigh about 400 pounds for the males and 300 pounds for the females. They are also known to grow to be about 10 feet in length.

It is difficult to find these tigers as they tend to live up very high in the mountains in isolated areas. That doesn’t mean they aren’t in jeopardy though because that just means people have to try harder to find them. Many hunters find this additional challenge to be what thrills them and entices them to go on such hunts. These remote areas also mean it is harder for them to get busted by authorities for illegal killing of the Indochinese Tigers.

The stripes on this particular species of tiger are very narrow compared to those of other species. You will also notice that they have a more vibrant orange color to them. They are often mistaken for the Bengal Tiger so these differences can help you to tell them apart easier.

The number of Indochinese Tigers out there are higher than many of the other species but they are still very low. Even with those in captivity the number isn’t over 1,200. Many areas of China continue to fight to breed them and to protect them but their efforts are often in vain. This is due to the high amount of money that can be made due to the demand for them in China.

The Indochinese Tiger is in grave danger due to high levels of poaching. There is also the fact that their bodies are used to make many different types of medicine in China. The bones are ground up into powder that they claim offers the healing properties that have kept their people alive and recovering for centuries. There is no changing the minds of those with such a powerful belief in the early legends and ways of the people.

The fact that most of the habitat where the Indochinese Tiger lives isn’t explored by humans means that we know less about them than many other types of tigers out there. They have moved into the higher areas of the mountains because of their other habitats being taken over by humans. In recent years biologists have been granted permission to come to this area and to explore this tiger in more detail. However, the process for this happening has been slow moving due to political red tape.

There is no mistaking that huge endeavors must be undertaken if the Indochinese Tiger is going to be able to survive. There are many programs in place right now to protect them in their natural habitat. However, they still fall victim to hunters, poachers, and even ranchers that see them as a huge threat to their own agenda. In Cambodia this is a huge problem due to people not having many other ways to make a living. They are going to hunt the tigers because they can make a great deal of money for their families this way.

There are also protective programs in captivity where the Indochinese Tiger is able to live without any threats. The goal here is to keep them safe and to help them reproduce. The mating is very selective by humans though to help ensure that the genetic pool doesn’t get too shallow. Their average life span in the wild is approximately 15 years. However, if there aren’t changes made to protect them this isn’t going to matter.

Malayan Tiger

The Malayan Tiger is only found around the Malayan Pennisula which is where the name comes from. This is the newest species of tiger to be identified as it has only been recognized as a subspecies since 2004. They are the smallest in size of all the species of tigers. They are very often confused with the Sumatran Tiger due to their small size and their coloring. In fact, some people think that they are looking at photos of a young tiger instead of one that is a full grown adult with this species.

The main food source for these smaller tigers are deer and livestock. I don’t have to tell you that the fact that they kill large numbers of livestock doesn’t go over very well with humans. In fact, it is believed that this is the biggest threat to them. Humans want to destroy them so that they can’t continue to destroy their livestock. The Malayan Tiger is also known to kill humans but again that is likely due to a lack of prey to choose from and the fact that humans are moving into their natural habitat.

To help increase the number of Malayan Tigers out there, you will discover that there is a huge breeding facility in Malaysia. In the past 10 years they have been successful with breeding more than 40 of these animals. Their cubs have been sent to various zoos around the world to help keep them safe. The number that are breed is still low though due to the huge amount of testing that must be done. This is to ensure the genetic coding of the parents isn’t too similar. It is also done to help eliminate some physical deformities that are genetically linked as well.

There are only about 800 Malayan Tigers level in the wild so their population is extremely low. Right now there is a huge debate over the naming of them. In Malaysia they are upset that they didn’t the right to help name this newest species of tigers. There are many that feel they should have been named after the man that had a theory about their existence and then completed the genetic testing to proof it. They feel it is important to recognize him for the work and for the information he brought to light.

In spite of the name, there is no doubt that Malaysia is extremely proud of this discovery. In fact many businesses have it as part of their logo or their brand identity. The Coat of Arms has also been updated to add to of these tigers to the design of it. People all over the world have a fascination for it as well. It seems that they don’t want to this new discover to be one that is so quickly just archived to the history books.

One of the huge concerns is that it is believed about 90% of them in the wild reside in areas that are beyond what is protected. Therefore effectively mapping out these other locations so that pressure can be placed upon the government to protect in those areas as well is very important. Additional fines and even jail sentences for the illegal killing of them is also something that needs to be actively pursued.

That is why you will find many campaigns out there to raise money for the further research and protection of the Malayan Tigers. This won’t be easy due to what is going on with their natural habitat and the low numbers. However, there are significant efforts already in place so it is possible that one day they will see their name removed from the list of endangered species.

Sumatran Tiger

You will find the Sumatran Tiger in the area of Sumatra. They are smaller than other species of tigers with a full grown male only about 300 pounds. However, they can be up to 8 feet in length which gives them a very slender appearance. Experts believe that they are smaller in size due to the limited natural habitat for them to reside in. They are also smaller in size due to the prey that they consume there being smaller than what other species of tigers have access to.

The stripes on the Sumatran Tiger are closer together than those found on any other species. This is due to the fact that their natural habitat is full of high grass and these close stripes allow them to easily blend in. This species of tiger also has more hair on the face and around the neck area than other species.

One of their best tactics is to chase their prey into the water. They are extremely fast swimmers so they can easily over take larger prey there that they may not be able to on land. They feature webbing between their toes which is why they are naturals in the water. They also confuse their prey due to the white spots on the back of their ears. Many animals think that these are eyes. This is believed to help them stay safe from predators though as they will be less likely to come up to them from behind.

As with many other species of tigers, a huge problem is that with low numbers remaining the genetic prospects aren’t very good. Too many of the tigers out there are related or have genetic materials that are closely related to each other. This is why they continue to do DNA testing before Sumatran Tigers are allowed to mate in captivity. When the genetic materials are too closely related it can result in offspring that isn’t healthy, that have physical problems, or that are two weak to survive in their natural environment.

The biggest through to those that do remain is the loss of their natural habitat. As a result it is harder for them to be able to survive. They have to move into new areas for a territory to call their own. They may also find it harder to find adequate food and water in these new environments that they have been forced into.

Sadly, the Sumatran Tiger is at a very high risk of being endangered. There are believed to be less than 500 of them remaining in the wild. Some researchers believe that there are some genetic markers of this species of tiger that could result in another subspecies being named. That is if they survive long enough though to be able to continue breeding and for these genetic markers to be activity identified and classified.

They continue to be hunted in the wild even with their high protection status. There are plenty of poachers out there making a ton of money from killing them so they aren’t going to stop doing so unless they are caught in the act. Others are destroyed due to their natural habitat being removed at an alarming rate. This is due to high logging activities taking place in their natural habitat.

Since 2007 there have been huge efforts in place to protect the future for the Sumatran Tiger. However, many people fear that it is simply too late and that we are only prolonging the inevitable extinction of them. However, most groups aren’t willing to give up on this species of tiger at all. They will continue to fight for them until they are no longer extinct or until they are all gone.

Siberian Tiger

With the tiger being the largest of the big cats, the Siberian Tiger has a very prestigious title. This is because it is also the largest of the different tiger species. As their name indicates they are found in Siberian. Unfortunately that is their only natural habitat remaining as they have been destroyed in Asia and Russia over the years. What is very scary is that they are very genetically close to other species of tigers that have already become extinct. This tends to lead one to expect that is the future for them as well.

Today they are found in the higher mountain areas where they are far away from humans. Those that used to live in the lower levels have either been destroyed by humans through hunting or by them clearing out the forest areas. Finding adequate supplies of food though at these higher levels can prove to be extremely difficult. They tend to consume wild boars and certain types of deer that are found in these thick forest areas.

There are very few accounts out there of the Siberian Tiger attacking humans in any type of setting. However, due to their size and their appearance many people find them to be intimidating. In 2007 one did escape from a zoo in California and kill a person that had been pestering the tiger throughout the day. This got a great deal of media attention and gave the impression that these particular tigers seek out feeding upon humans but that isn’t true at all.

This particular tiger can be up to 11 feet long and weight about 650 pounds. This makes the equivalent to a man that is 6 feet tall. They are extremely fast animals with colorful stripes on them. They are extremely strong and powerful which is why the Siberian Tiger is often found as a symbol in popular culture. Yet this also makes them a huge trophy for some hunters that want the thrill of finding such an animal that they can kill.

Both hunting and poaching of them continues to be a concern. In the isolated areas out there though it is hard to make sure such actions don’t occur. There isn’t enough manpower to continually keep hunters and poachers out of the areas where the Siberian Tiger is found.

A huge problem for the future of Siberian tigers though due to low numbers is there genetic profile. This particular species has very little variation as it is when it comes to distinctive genetic factors. So when you are also talking about populations out there in the wild that are very closely related you run into even larger problems. Inbreeding can result in offspring that is very poor genetically and this isn’t going to help them with their quest for survival.

While they do breed in captivity very well, the issue becomes the quality of the offspring and not just the number of them. Helping to preserve the overall good genetics of this breed of Tiger is very important. In China there are many areas where Siberian Tigers are carefully bred in an attempt to get more diversity in their genetic pool. Hopefully these types of experiments will be useful for them in their overall survival and the quality of this species of tiger.

Hopefully the information we have about other species of tigers including those that are now extinct will help the Siberian Tiger to be one that survives. There are only a few hundred of them remaining in the wild today. It is going to take a great deal of action from many organizations out there in order to help keep this species of tiger alive.

The Bengal tiger is found in India as well as Bangladesh and it is known to live both in the heated areas of desert and the grasslands where it is wet and cool.

The Bengal Tiger is one of the largest species of tigers in the world. They are also the one that offers the highest number of them in the wild. Don’t get to excited though as they are still at a high risk of being endangered. There are only about 1,400 of them in the wild.

What is also interesting is that there is about 1% which are DNA verified hybrids. They have one parent that is a Bengal Tiger and one that is a Siberian Tiger. These hybrid tigers seem to do quite well in the wild with most of the males being sterile. It is believed that this genetic link though was the result of mistakes in breeding while in captivity and then released to the wild instead of a natural occurrence that takes place in the wild.

The biggest threat to the in India is that their natural habitat continues to be cut away by logging companies. As a result they struggle to survive in less area and with less prey to feed upon. Finding enough water is a common problem for them as well. You may find many similarities between the Bengal Tiger and the Siberian Tiger. This is because the former is a sub species of the latter.

This particular species of tiger can weigh up to 500 pounds for a full grown male and about 400 pounds for a full grown female. They also feature very long tails and heads that are larger than that of other species. They are excellent hunters and feed on a variety of prey found around India. They include deer, antelope, hogs and buffalo. They have also been seen consuming monkeys, birds, and other small prey when their main food selections become scarce.

In some areas there has been a problem with the Bengal Tiger eating livestock as well. Humans continue to try to live in these areas that used to be home to the tigers. Then they wonder why the animals they are raising become meals for them. Many of these ranchers engage in the illegal killing of tigers too so that they can protect their investment in such livestock.

There have also been reports of the Bengal Tiger killing and eating humans. However, it is believed this is only to satisfy their need to feed when they haven’t been able to find other prey for days. They tend to consume up to 60 pounds of food at one time. Then they will go for several days without feeding on anything.

It is estimated that less than 2,000 of the Bengal tigers remain at this time. This is less than half of what the population was just 10 years ago. As a result there is a very aggressive protection plan in place for them. The efforts are working to an extent but poaching of these tigers is still a huge concern.

The Wildlife Protection Society of India continues to strive to look into all allegations of tiger poaching. They have confiscated large amounts of tiger parts and pelts but it is often hard for them to get to the source of who is actually responsible for killing and for shipping them. Even though they detain those caught with them there are more people involved in the process than they are able to uncover.

To get away with poaching though many of these hunters have resorted to poisoning the tigers. Then they are found already dead and they can’t be held responsible for killing them. This is also the same practices that many of the ranchers engage in as well.

The South China Tiger features a very vibrant color of orange with black stripes on it. There are also areas of white on the face and on the belly that runs to the insides of the legs as well. This is classified as one of the smallest species of tigers out there. It is also one that is believed to be most threatened by the possibility of extinction. In fact if there aren’t significant changes it will likely be extinct within the next 10 years or less.

In order to help with the population concerns, many of the South China Tigers are being moved to other areas of captivity. So far such efforts have been successful with many cubs born in the last five years that are thriving. However, this animal is now on the top 10 list of endangered animals so that tells you just how much hard work is ahead if they are going to make it.

The smaller size of the South China Tiger has to do with the fact that there are smaller forms of prey for it to consume. A full grown male is approximately 8 feet long and will weight about 330 pounds. The females are much smaller at about 7 feet long and about 250 pounds. The stripes of this particular tiger are spaced further apart than those of any other species.

A great deal of their diet is made up of livestock and goats. This has created issues for them as they are often hunted by those that make a living raising these types of animals. The South China Tiger is very diligent when it comes to stalking their prey. They may wait for hours before they take the opportunity to pounce in it. They want to make sure they have a very good chance of taking down what they want to eat.

They are also known to attack humans due to the large number of them in their natural habitat. In fact, the South China Tiger has been labeled as a man eater by many in our society. A big part of this problem is that the forests where they naturally live continue to be destroyed for other things to be put in their place. This has put these tigers and man in too close of quarters for them both to live happily.

The number of them began to dwindle in the early 1960’s due to people viewing the tigers as pest. They were killed for their pelts as well as for the bones to use to make medicine in China. Even though such hunting on these tigers was banned in China in 1977 the drastic drop in their numbers by then was already a huge threat to their survival.

Today it is extremely rare that the South China Tiger is even seen in the wild. This makes people worry too that the numbers are much less than they had believed them to be. Others are holding out for the belief that these tigers have found a way to adapt to living conditions deeper into the forests where they aren’t being disturbed by human interruptions.

There are total of 11 reserves in China today where the remainder of the South China Tigers reside. A few of them are now in zoos in other parts of the world as I mentioned before. However, that practice isn’t one that has been widely proposed as the people of China want to keep them in their native area. They are also doing their best to profile genetic materials so that they can be sure to breed the right South China Tigers with others that aren’t so closely related.

The tiger is one the largest of the four big cats, and one that is very fascinating to people all over the world.

Tigers are fierce predators with a calculated intelligence that makes them one of the leaders out there in their natural environment. They have been able to successfully evolve for millions of years and continually adapting well to their surroundings.

Most people easily recognize the tiger due to the stripes found on their bodies. These patterns of white and black stripes create very interesting patterns. They also give the tiger a coloring that helps to prevent them from being confused with the other types of big cats.

Ruthless Hunters

Although white tigers are extremely beautiful animals, they serve no conservation purpose, with the exception of increasing attendance to zoos. Thus increasing public awareness and education of the plight of all endangered animals. For this reason, the SSP (Species Survival Plan) coordinators for the various surviving subspecies of tiger do not authorize breeding the white tiger in their managed programs. Still this remarkable animal continues to bring hundreds of thousands of fascinated visitors to zoos and educational facilities across the world. Public awareness is the first step in conservation.

"Tundra"

Info: Tigers in general are the biggest cats in the world. They live in steamy hot jungles as well as icy cold forest habitats. There are five different kinds or subspecies of tiger alive in the world today.

Status: At the beginning of this century it is estimated that there were 100,000 wild tigers, today the number is less than 8,000. Simply put, tigers are disappearing in the wild. The main threats to tigers are poaching, habitat loss and population fragmentation.

Conservation & Ecology: Across all of Asia, once vast forests have fallen for timber or conversion to agriculture. Only small islands of forest surrounded by a growing and relatively poor human population are left. As forest space is reduced, the number of animals left in the forest is also reduced, and tigers cannot find the prey they need to survive. As a result, tigers begin to eat the livestock of villagers who live near them. Sometimes tigers even attack humans. People sometimes kill the tigers in order to protect themselves and their livestock. As human populations move farther into the forest, groups of tigers become separated from each other by villages and farms. This means that tigers in one area can no longer mate with tigers in nearby areas. Instead, tigers must breed repeatedly with the same small group of animals. Over time, this inbreeding weakens the gene pool, and tigers are born with birth defects and mutations.

Even though it is illegal to kill a tiger, wild tigers are still being poached today because their bones, whiskers and other body parts can be sold on the black market for a lot of money. Tiger parts are used in traditional Chinese medicine because some people believe that tiger parts have special powers. Forestry and wildlife departments are too understaffed and under budgeted to be effective against the onslaught of poachers. While the exact number of tigers being poached is unknown, some sources have estimated that one tiger a day is being killed in India.