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Posted on October 2, 2008 by Freeda Poux | Posted under News and Society
Endangered Tigers: What You Did Not Know
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It is considered that this mammal is one of the most endangered species. Studies show that the number of tigers has known a dramatic drop over the last 50 years in India. Now, there are only 200 tigers left in Nepal, and 4,000 in India. In China and Korea, tigers are hunted down for their organs and other parts, and poachers are many in these states. There are only 10,000 tigers left on the entire planet, which signals the alarm regarding the evolution of this species. Not only humans are endangering the life of tigers; they also have natural enemies in elephants, bears and buffaloes. Their defensive mechanism consists of sharp claws, strong teeth and their weight can be used to crash another animal or a human being. They weigh about 300-500 pounds. The female usually weighs less than the male. The largest type of tiger is the Siberian tiger, which is also the biggest cat on the planet. They can reach up to 3 feet in height. They are known to be very adaptable, as they can climb mountains, or swim in water. This gives the tiger the possibility to escape natural disasters. Still, the biggest disaster happening to the tiger is the humankind. The symbolism surrounding the hunting of tigers dates from the ancient times. Back then, some royal heads preferred taming tigers and kept them as pets, as this was a symbol of their power. Also, hunting was among the favorite pastime for those in the upper class. In Asia, many people believed that wearing a talisman made of a tiger's claw or other parts of the animal was supposed to give them miraculous powers. The fur of the tiger is considered to be a wanted luxury. They were hunted for many things: for their fur, for their claws, for their strong teeth, and even for their eyes. Other thought that tiger organs can be used for curing different human diseases. This also resulted in heavy hunting, that is another reason why tigers today are on the brink of extinction. Some parts of the tiger's body are believed to be able to act as aphrodisiacs, others as medicines, and others as poisons. None of these claims have any scientific support, but they are still hunted for their whiskers, their eyes, their penises, their liver and their fat. Even the dust obtained from a tiger's bones is believed to have curing properties. Not only hunting caused tigers to face extinction now. The human actions also modified the normal habitat of tigers, and they were forced to withdraw more and more from the actions of the humans. Cutting down the trees in the forest, polluting the air, caused tigers to die. Also, by killing the favorite prey of tigers, they were left to face hunger. While countries where tigers still live are trying to put a stop to this process of extinction, poaching still rises. China has forbidden any sale of tiger products since 1993, but that did not stop illegal hunting. About The Author: Freeda is a writer and publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com |
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