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year of the tiger its long but worth it i wrote it myself.


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Year of the Tiger

 

 

 

 

 

 

On October 20th. 2011 in Ohio, there was a tragic situation. An individual killed himself and released his whole private zoo into society. 18 unregistered tigers were roaming free in the Ohio countryside and legal authorities were forced to use lethal force to euthanize all of them for public safety. The tragedy in Ohio has brought a great awareness that there is an urgent need to regulate tiger ownership. By making private ownership illegal, there would be 18 less tigers on the endangered species list. The tiger is now one of the many animals on the endangered species list. There are more tigers in captivity in the United States approximately 5,000 and as few as 3,200 in the wild. The majority of tigers in the U.S. is privately owned and is not in accredited facilities which are well regulated. There are additional factors that are included in the endangerment of tigers with the fact of regulation being the start of the control on their existence in life.

 

 

The Tiger is a beautiful, majestic animal. The upper part of the animal is covered in red orange, to a lighter orange with a white underbelly. The body also has black stripes all over it. It is a known fact that no two tigers have the same stripe pattern, just like fingerprints. Some Bengal tigers are cream or white color instead of orange due to a recessive gene. Those with the gene have pink noses and blue eyes. They range in size from 55 to a 118in. long and the tail is an additional 24 to 37in. Males are the largest ranging from 310 to 660 pounds varying on subspecies. Females are much smaller varying on subspecies. Three tiger subspecies have become extinct in the last 70yrs. The Bali, Javan, and the Caspian. There are six remaining species left in the world. The Amur, Bengal, Indochinese, Malayan, South China, and Sumatran tigers. These all live in Asia and are all threatened. They mainly eat large animals called ungulates they are hoofed animals. Pigs, deer, antelope, buffalo, and gaur. They have also been known to eat crocodiles, leopards, and bears. They are mostly solitary and they have large territories. Territories range from 2,400 acres to 4,900 acres for females and for males 7,400 to 17,300. Where there is less prey the territory ranges much higher in acres. Unless they die they are never replaced on their range. They mark their territory by feces and urine. Tigers have been known to reach the age of 26yrs. old in the wild. Tigers generally become independent at two and gain sexual maturity at 3-4 years for females and 4-5 for males. Tigers can mate at any time, more frequent from November to April. Tigers give birth to 2-3 cubs every 2-2.5 years. If all the cubs die a new litter is produced within 5mos. Pregnancy is usually 104-106 days and births occur in a cave, a rocky crevice, or dense jungle. About half of all cubs do not survive past 2 years.

 

For over a thousand years, tigers have been hunted as status symbols, decorative items, souvenirs, and traditional Asian medicines. Hunting as a sport caused the greatest decline in the population up until the 1930’s. Between 1940 and the late 80’s the greatest threat was loss of habitat due to human population expansion and activities such as logging. In the 1990’s the trade of bones for traditional medicines became a major threat. Current threats to tigers can be separated into two categories

 

Poaching and Human-tiger conflict Killing

 

 

Poaching to feed continuing consumer demand for various tiger body parts for traditional medicine and folk remedies. Illegal hunting, tiger bones have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for at least a 1,000 years. An individual adult tiger can provide between 13-24 pounds of dried bone. Different tiger parts, claws, teeth, whiskers are believed to provide good luck and protective powers. Tiger skins in clothing have increased. Tiger skins are very valuable in some countries. This can provide a large profit to a smuggler. Illegal hunting of tigers for their body parts has seen tigers completely wiped out in several reserves set up to protect them. Traders are even storing dead tigers for their parts, which increase in value as numbers of tiger’s life’s fall. Alternative tiger products have now been found, validated by science and by the Chinese government. Tiger bone medicines are still a high demand through underground sales. In India, where there is a lack of funds anti-poaching measures are overturned, tigers have been exterminated from some tiger reserves due to lack of protection. Even countries with strong capitol and enforcement of tiger protection laws still fight a never ending battle against poaching.

 

 

Because of logging, it causes a result of conflict between tigers and humans. A major problem for communities living in or near tiger habitats are being forced to battle for existence. If tigers do not have enough prey they are forced to hunt domestic livestock or even people within the villages. Many communities depend on their livestock for eating and their livelihood. In retaliation tigers are often killed or captured and sent to the black market. Benefiting the communities with money from poachers or illegal trade. Tiger preyed species are also being killed by villagers for destroying essential crops this worsens the problem by reducing the tigers natural source of food. Many local communities depend on forest for wood used for fuel and timber. By humans entering the forest, they increase tiger attacks.

 

Habitat Loss

 

Habitat destruction of prey populations are the major long term threat to the continued existence of tigers in the wild. Tigers have suffered from severe loss of natural prey populations especially, wild deer, goats, sheep, and pigs, due to direct hunting by people or through competition. In the past few decades, their habitat has been extensively destroyed by human activities. Clearing the forest for agriculture, timber trade, and development such as the building of road networks. In the last ten years tiger habitat decreased by an alarming 45%. Today, tigers occupy only 7% of their historic range. Habitat loss has forced tigers into small, scattered islands of remaining habitat. Tigers need large territories, reduced habitat means fewer tigers can survive in the wild. Isolated populations are more likely to inbreeding, and are more at hand to poachers.

 

Wild tiger numbers are at the lowest ever. The largest Asian big cat may be on top of the food chain and one of the most culturally important and best loved animals, but are vulnerable to extinction. Tigers are forced to compete with dense human populations, pressure from poaching, revenge killing and habitat loss. By saving tigers, we also save the biological, diverse landscape where they still roam-Asia’s last great rainforest, jungles and wild lands. These forests are home to thousands of other species, people and food, fresh water and flood protection that local communities need to survive. We are not only killing the tiger but we are killing ourselves, we are more connected than we really know. The big cat is revered, admired and feared, by millions of people around the world. If forests are emptied of every last tiger, all that will remain are distant legends, zoo sightings, and one large breach of trust. With just one tiger, we protect around 25,000 acres of forest. By saving these places we save many other endangered species that live there as well. The tiger plays a key role in maintaining healthy ecosystems that supply both nature and people with fresh water, food, and health. Tigers can directly help some poor communities by providing tourists. Money can be made to support these communities that have few alternatives.

 

During the Year of the Tiger( February 14,2010-February 2,2011) efforts to help stop poaching, curb demand, protect tiger landscapes, and build political will and rallied support to help save wild tiger populations were a positive accomplishment. There is still hope that we can save wild tigers. Tigers are plentiful breeders and can breed faster than their prey. Measures for habitat control and tiger poaching can double the population by 2022, the next year of the tiger. There have been efforts to improve the regulation of captive tigers in the United States. 26 states have laws banning the possession of tigers. 8 states don’t have any laws at all. 16 states allow for the keeping of tigers, but require a state permit or a registration. The Russian government has agreed to ban Korean pine logging in key Amur tiger habitat Increased anti-poaching efforts resulted in successful seizures and arrests, including Black Market sales along Myanmar, Thailand, and China’s shared boarders. Federal database to monitor captive tigers in the U.S. There have been many other accomplishments that might give the tigers a new route in life. Working with foreign governments has brought some success to bring back the tiger. Monitoring population’s, stopping tiger trade, strengthening anti- poaching, addressing human-tiger conflict, securing tiger lands, supporting local conservations, and focusing on policies and sustainable forestry. We need to take control of our purchasing power, buy recycled. Avoid buying endangered wildlife products, join the efforts to stop illegal trade, stay informed, and spread the word that they are almost endangered. Travel to less fortunate countries to reserves; it supports the tigers and the communities.

 

 

The new year of the tiger will be in 2022. If we follow these efforts the tiger population can double by this time which has been scientifically researched. The tiger is not just an animal but a part of society. If we let the tiger die a chain reaction will happen. Other animals will become extinct and the human communities surrounding the tiger territories will die as well. People do not realize that everything depends on one another to survive in this world, and if we are ignorant to this we will make ourselves endangered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Armandre El-Amin

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Yeah, Siberian Tigers now of course called the Amur Tiger because they are no longer found in Siberia and are down to as much as 450 individuals. And more captive Tigers in Texas alone than in the wild.

 

Of course using Tiger in your Chinese Medicine has no effect whatsoever, so it's pointless, which is the same story in the case of Shark fin soup, Shark fin soup is actually very tasteless and they add chicken stock to give flavour :rolleyes: And of course what they don't realise is that if they poach all the Tigers, there won't be any left to poach, they are so dumb :rolleyes:

 

Many scientists think that the South China Tiger may be extinct with none being seen for more than 25 years, a few individuals may remain, but hope for their survival is slim as there is neither adequate habitat nor prey left.

 

 

 

And it's not just Tigers, let's not forget the Amur Leopard which lives in the same area as the Amur Tiger and they're only about 35 animals left in the wild.

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I think I'm right in saying, that the Tiger is the largest of the big cats. A magnificent animal, which if left alone in its habitat is no threat to man. But, with its natural environment being invaded by humans for commercial purposes, they are being driven to extinction. As for people owning them for their own *private* zoos. That should be against the law in my opinion, these people have no real interest in the the Tigers and their survival. There are most probably other animals that come into this category as well, that are kept as pets.

 

With all the de-forestation going on around the World, many animals, plants, insects, etc, are in real danger of dying out. Governments must act, before it is too late, animals have a right to exist on this planet just like us humans, and don't forget, they were here first. !

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I think I'm right in saying, that the Tiger is the largest of the big cats. A magnificent animal, which if left alone in its habitat is no threat to man. But, with its natural environment being invaded by humans for commercial purposes, they are being driven to extinction. As for people owning them for their own *private* zoos. That should be against the law in my opinion, these people have no real interest in the the Tigers and their survival. There are most probably other animals that come into this category as well, that are kept as pets.

 

With all the de-forestation going on around the World, many animals, plants, insects, etc, are in real danger of dying out. Governments must act, before it is too late, animals have a right to exist on this planet just like us humans, and don't forget, they were here first. !

I agree with both of you we do need to get people to relize this and take action before it is to late so what in both of your opinions do you suggest people do? i know what i would do
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