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Threats
poaching, habitat
loss, prey reduction
STATUS:
ESA -- ENDANGERED
IUCN -- ENDANGERED
SIZE:
Weight:
395-570 pounds
(180-260 kg)
Length:
4.5-9 feet (1.4-2.75 m)
Shoulder height:
up to 3.5 feet (1.1 m)
HABITAT:
Varied; tropical rain forest, mixed deciduous forest
CURRENT RANGE:
Indian subcontinent (Bengal tiger); other subspecies in eastern Asia from Indochina to southeastern Siberia, western Indonesia
CONSERVATION:
Captive-breeding programs;
reserves to protect
suitable habitat;
Species Survival Plan;
CITES trade restrictions
To better estimate tiger populations, researchers are now using "camera traps." Automatic cameras are linked to a beam-triggering mechanism. When a tiger (or any other animal) passes through the beam, the camera takes its picture. This
is effective for counting tigers because every tiger has a unique pattern of stripes, so individuals
can be identified. This approach also helps count tiger prey species, a vital factor in determining how many tigers a given area can support.
Tigers give birth every 2-2.5 years. Litters are usually two to four cubs. Cubs stay with the mother (who teaches them to hunt) until she has her next litter. Only about half of the cubs survive to adulthood.
Tiger colors range
from reddish-orange
to reddish-ochre,
with creamy or white under parts and black, gray or brown stripes on the head, body, tail, and legs.
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Burning Bright . . .
No animal fires our imaginations like the tiger -- and for good reason. Tigers are the largest of the big cats. They are incredibly powerful predators: Bengal tigers can bring down wild cattle weighing a ton or more. They are as agile as they are strong: tigers can leap more than 30 feet (9 m) in a single bound, climb trees, and swim for miles. And in their forest habitats, they can disappear in an instant, melting soundlessly into the brush. "When you see a tiger," says Indian biologist Ullas Karanth, "it is always like a dream."
Tigers, like all cats, are full-time carnivores. They eat only meat -- nothing else. They hunt a wide range of animals -- deer, water buffalo, wild pigs, small mammals, and even birds. They ambush their prey, waiting in dense foliage where their camouflage markings keep them hidden. They bring down large
animals with a flying tackle, forcing their daggerlike canines into the victim's throat or spine. But for all their stealth and power, tigers are successful hunters only about 10 percent of the time. To find sufficient food, they need a lot of territory. Most tigers travel about 6 to 12 miles (10-19 km) a day (actually, "a night" would be more accurate, since tigers are pri-
marily nocturnal). They're normally solitary animals, but they have been known to occasionally hunt
in packs.
. . . Fading Fast
In this century, tiger numbers have been reduced by at least 95 percent. As few as 5,500 may remain in the wild. In India, the 1994 estimate of Bengal tigers was 3,750 -- the largest population of any tiger subspecies. Tigers live in dense bush or forest. Unlike cheetahs and lions, they can't hunt (and therefore can't survive) in open habitats. So as forests throughout Asia are rapidly transformed into farmlands, tigers are squeezed into smaller and smaller pockets of territory. These tiny patches of forest are too small to hold enough prey for the few remaining tigers. In desperation, they may turn to livestock, and sometimes even to humans.
Humans have also turned against tigers. In Asia, tiger bones are touted as a cure for rheumatism. Tiger eyes are said to calm convulsions. Tiger penis soup allegedly enhances sexual prowess. And tiger pelts can bring a princely sum. Expanding economies in many parts of Asia have brought rising incomes. Exotic products are within the financial reach of more and more people, and trade in tiger parts is therefore booming, despite legal restrictions and threats of sanctions. For tigers, crisis has quickly become catastrophe; soon, the tiger's fire will be ashes.
The Tiger's Dilemma
The Chinese government has suggested "farming" tigers -- putting parts from deceased zoo animals, for example, on the market in the place of wild tiger parts. They're hoping that this would make poaching less attractive. Unfortunately, the prevalent belief is that wild-tiger parts are more potent than captive-tiger parts.
In the case of tigers, plans for reintroduction into Asian countries at some future time are probably unrealistic. Animals reared in captivity don't learn to hunt. Also, it's unlikely that villagers would welcome huge predatory cats back into the neighborhood. This brings up the question: what's the point of keeping the species alive when its habitat is gone? habitat conservation -- setting aside large reserves -- may be the only long-term method for saving the world's biodiversity. Wildlife biologist George Schaller has pointed out that, "it would cost millions to breed and reintroduce tigers. If Asian nations want tigers, they can have them far more cheaply by protecting the remaining wild tigers."
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