Discover the current status of wild tiger populations and learn how many of these majestic creatures remain in their natural habitat.
Tigers in Crisis: Urgent Conservation Needed
Over the last 100 years, the number of tigers has gone down a lot. There are a few reasons for this, like losing their homes and being hunted illegally.
Right now, the situation is really bad. Almost all the tigers in the world (97%) have disappeared. This is a big problem that keeps happening, and it puts tigers at risk. We need to understand and solve these problems to protect these amazing animals.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), there are only around 4,500 tigers left in the wild. Some experts think there might be even fewer than that.
One reason for this drop is that the places where tigers used to live (their habitats) have been destroyed. Almost all of those lands (95%) are gone now because of what people do.
Another big danger for tigers is illegal hunting. Some people hunt them, and it's a problem because some countries can't protect the places where tigers live.
In places where tigers are kept in captivity, like in zoos, there are more than 8,000 tigers in Asia, and most of them are in China. In the United States, there are around 5,000 tigers in captivity.
It's very important to understand how serious this situation is for tigers. Let's work together to protect these incredible animals so they can survive for many more years to come.
Tigers are loved by people all around the world, but sadly, they are becoming very rare. There are currently fewer than 5,000 tigers left in the wild, and they only live in about 5% of the places they used to roam. Scientists still debate how many tiger species there are.
Tiger(Panthera)
Family: Felidae
| Genus: Panthera
|
Common Traits: | The largest member of the cat family can run up to 60 miles an hour, strong and powerful like to live alone |
Diet: | Meat |
Natural Habitat: | Mangrove swamps, savannas, grasslands and rainforests |
Average Weight: | Male: 90 – 310 kg, Female: 65 – 170 kg |
Average Length: | 2.5m (8ft) to 2.9m (9.5ft) |
Habitat: | Mangrove swamps, savannas, grasslands and rainforests |
Endangered Status: | Tigers are an endangered species |
In the table above, you can find detailed information about tigers, their characteristics, diet, habitat, and status as an endangered species.
Tiger Species
Tigers come in different kinds called subspecies. A subspecies is like a special group within the tiger family, having unique genes or looks. There are nine tiger subspecies, but three of them are not around anymore. The ones that still exist are:
Bengal
Indo-Chinese
South China
Amur
Sumatran
Malayan
The ones that are gone forever are:
Caspian
Bali
Javan
Bengal Tiger: (Panthera tigris tigris)
The Bengal Tiger is also called the Royal Bengal Tiger or Indian Tiger. It lives in the Indian subcontinent.
Before, Bengal Tigers lived in a larger area, but now they are found in Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and India.
These tigers are endangered animals. They are the most common, well-known, and largest tigers in the wild.
A male Bengal Tiger weighs about 390 to 570 pounds, and a female weighs about 220 to 350 pounds.
If you see a White Tiger, it's because of a genetic mutation or being an Albino Tiger. If it has blue eyes and black stripes, it's due to a genetic mutation called Leucism, which affects Bengal Tigers.
White cubs are born when both parents have the Leucism gene. This mutation is rare, happening in one out of 10,000 births.
Albino Tigers are tigers that are white in color, with very light or no stripes and have pink eyes. They don't survive well in the wild as they lack camouflage, which protects other tigers.
Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica)
Sumatran Tigers are a bit shorter than Bengal and Siberian Tigers, but they have a well-balanced body and defined, dark stripes all over their bodies.
The Sumatran Tiger is the smallest kind of tiger and lives on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.
Because it's on an island, it's separate from other tigers, which has caused some genetic differences.
Sumatran Tigers are in serious danger of going extinct. Two other tiger species that lived in the same place (Bali and Javan Tigers) are already gone.
Male Sumatran Tigers weigh between 221 and 311 pounds, while females weigh between 165 and 244 pounds. They are much lighter than the Siberian and Bengal Tigers.
They might not exist anymore by the year 2050.
The Indo-Chinese Tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti)
The Indo-Chinese Tiger, also known as Corbett's Tiger, is found in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Burma, Laos, Thailand, and China.
Unfortunately, this tiger is in critical danger due to hunting and the loss of its habitat. Its population has decreased because of the high demand and illegal trade of tiger parts. Currently, there are only 300 to 400 Indo-Chinese Tigers left.
People use their body parts for rituals, meat, jewelry, medicines, clothes, and even wines. All parts of the tiger are highly sought after.
Male Indo-Chinese Tigers weigh between 330 and 430 pounds, while females weigh between 221 and 291 pounds. They have narrow, single stripes on their bodies.
The Indo-Chinese Tiger was named after a famous hunter, Jim Corbett, who hunted many man-eating tigers in the early 20th century. However, now this magnificent tiger is in danger of disappearing forever.
Malayan Tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni)
The Malayan Tiger is a tiger species found in Southeastern Asia, in countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and Burma.
They look like the Indo-Chinese Tiger but are a bit smaller. Male Malayan Tigers weigh between 220 and 308 pounds, while females weigh between 160 and 245 pounds.
Sadly, there are very few Malayan Tigers left in the world. Less than 200 adult tigers can reproduce, and their numbers are decreasing quickly. This makes them critically endangered.
South China Tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis)
The South China Tiger is a type of tiger found in Central and Eastern China. Sadly, no wild ones have been seen in recent years.
It's one of the smaller tiger species, but not as small as the Malayan Tiger or Indo-Chinese Tiger. Male South China Tigers weigh between 285 and 385 pounds, while females weigh between 220 and 255 pounds.
There are very few South China Tigers left in the world, only 20 to 40, and they all live in captivity.
Back in the 1970s, there were over 4,000 South China Tigers in the wild. But their habitat was destroyed for land development, and many of them were killed, wiping out the wild population of these tigers.
Some people have reported seeing Blue Tigers in the mountains of Fujian Province in China. These Tigers have black or gray stripes on a pale grayish-blue body, which is due to a genetic mutation similar to the Bengal Tiger.
In summary, tigers all over the world are in serious danger. The Bengal Tiger, Malayan Tiger, Sumatran Tiger, Indo-Chinese Tiger, and South China Tiger are all at risk of disappearing forever because their homes are being destroyed, they are hunted, and their body parts are illegally traded. To save these amazing animals, we need to protect where they live, stop hunting them, and tell everyone how important it is to keep them safe for the future.
3 Types of Tigers That Are Now Extinct
Tigers, the largest felines on Earth, are even bigger than lions and leopards. As top predators, they rule vast territories.
Tragically, humans have hunted tigers for their fur and predatory nature. Today, there are almost as many extinct tiger types as living ones. Regardless of their classification, all tigers are at risk of extinction or have already disappeared.
Let's explore the three types of extinct tigers. In 2017, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recognized two official tiger species: the Sunda island tiger and the continental tiger. The continental tigers include Amur, Indochinese, South China, Caspian, Malayan, and Bengal tigers. The Sunda island tigers consist of Sumatran, Javan, and Bali tigers.
1. The Bali Tiger (Panthera tigris balica)
The Bali Tiger used to live on Bali island, Indonesia. With its captivating looks and unique home, it caught everyone's attention. Sadly, no one has seen it since the 1930s, and in 1997, it was declared extinct. Human expansion, hunting, and losing its habitat led to its decline.
2. The Caspian Tiger (Panthera tigris virgata)
The Caspian Tiger, known for its large size and stunning dark orange coat with thick stripes, used to roam Central and West Asia near the Caspian Sea. But because of human activities and destroying its home, it vanished by the 1970s.
3. Javan tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica)
The Javan Tiger, originally from Java island, Indonesia, faced extinction because people cut down its home. People also hunted it because they saw it as a threat. The last time anyone saw it was in the mid-1970s when it was declared extinct.
Wild tigers are in serious trouble as their numbers are decreasing rapidly. To save these amazing animals from extinction, we must act quickly and use effective conservation methods. It's crucial for everyone to work together by protecting their habitats, stopping poaching, and involving local communities. By doing so, we can ensure a better future for tigers and keep our environment healthy and diverse for future generations.
References:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2023/04/12/how-many-tigers-left-world/11600984002/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2023/04/12/how-many-tigers-left-world/11600984002/
https://a-z-animals.com/blog/the-types-of-tiger-species-from-around-the-world/
https://a-z-animals.com/blog/extinct-types-of-tigers/
File:Panthera tigris corbetti (Tierpark Berlin) 832-714-(118).jpg - Wikimedia Commons
Get this image on: Wikimedia Commons | License details
Want to know where this information comes from? Learn more
https://picryl.com/media/panthera-tigris-sondaica-01-ff26a0?zoom=true
_832-714-(118).jpg "The Indo-Chinese Tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti)")
0 Comments