Being the largest cat species today, capable of reaching 3.38 m and 388 kg, the tiger (Panthera Tigris) is one of the most recognisable animals around the world. Its reddish-orange fur with dark stripes is not only unique to tigers (some can have white fur), but also allows them to be camouflaged in the dense environment that they live in. This camouflage however has not helped the tiger escape from the eyes of humans, especially over the last century where tiger populations have declined by 96.1% - from 100,000 to a little over 3,900.
Tigers once ranged widely across Asia, from Turkey in the west to the eastern coast of Russia and the southern areas of South East Asia. Over the last century, they have lost 93% of their historic range, and have been eradicated from southwest and central Asia, from the islands of Java and Bali, and from large areas of Southeast and Eastern Asia, as seen in Figure 1.a. Today, tigers range from the Siberian taiga in the north of Asia to the tropical mangrove swamps in the south, with the remaining 6 subspecies of tiger all classified by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as endangered. The exponential drop in tiger populations can be seen in Figure 1.b, where the graph shows a considerable decrease in population; from around 40,000 in the 1940s to 3000 in 2010. In fact there are more tigers in captivity than there are in the wild today. |
In total there have been 9 known species of tigers, 3 of which have become extinct. The six present today are:
Bengal Tiger The most common and second largest subspecies of tigers in the world today, residing in the forests of India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. Currently the estimated population of Bengal Tigers is at 2,400, with 1,700 in India, 450 in Bangladesh, 150 in Nepal and 100 in Bhutan. (Figure 1.c) Malayan Tiger Exclusively found in the southern parts of the Malay Peninsula which is situated in South-east Asia. It was not considered a subspecies until 2004 when genetic analysis showed variation in DNA sequences from the Indochinese subspecies. As of 2014 the latest reports on the population show that there are roughly 300 in the world. (Figure 1.d) Sumatran Tiger Only found on the island of Sumatra in South-east Asia, it is the only surviving subspecies of the three Indonesian tiger species. It was listed as a distinct subspecies in 1998 through evidence of unique genetic markings and is the smallest of all living tigers. The population of Sumatran tigers is estimated to be around 450, mostly found in the island’s national parks. (Figure 1.e) Siberian Tiger (Amur Tiger) It is the largest subspecies of tigers currently living today and inhabits the region of Amur-Ussuri in Far East Siberia, except for the few which populate the Tiger Reserve in North-east China. As of 2014 the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimated that the population was at around 400. Due to the colder and harsher climate of Russia, Siberians tigers have developed thicker coats and paler hues to better camouflage in the whiter environment. (Figure 1.f) Indochinese Tiger (Corbett's Tiger) Found in Cambodia, China, Laos, Burma, Thailand and Vietnam, it prefers forests in the mountainous regions and is rarely seen in the wild. The Indochinese tigers’ population is hard to estimate due to its anti-social behaviour, but the most accurate up-to-date record is at 300. (Figure 1.g) South China Tiger (Amoy or Xiamen Tiger) This subspecies is the most critically endangered and is one of the 10 most endangered animals in the world. Despite unconfirmed reports from inaccurate sources and some evidence of footprints, there have been no confirmed wild sightings of these tigers for over 25 years. This lead to experts considering it ‘functionally extinct’ with the entire known population of around 65 held in captivity. It is the second smallest subspecies and considered the most ancient. (Figure 1.h) The three known extinct species of tigers are: Bali Tiger Lived on the Indonesian island of Bali and was hunted to extinction on 27 September 1937, when the last of the subspecies was killed. Though there have been reports of sightings in the last century, none have been confirmed. (Figure 1.i) Caspian Tiger (Hyrcanian or Turan Tiger) Was found in the sparse forest habitats and riverine corridors west and south of the Caspian Sea and east through Central Asia into the Takla-Makan desert of Xinjiang, and had been recorded in the wild until the early 1970s. The Caspian tiger was formerly found in Chinese and Russian Turkestan, Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkey. It is not known when the tiger became extinct, but the most accurate guess is in the 1960s where the last confirmed sighting of a Caspian tiger was recorded. (Figure 1.j) Javan Tiger This subspecies was limited to the island of Java and has been recorded until the mid-1970s. Javan Tiger After 1979, no more sightings were confirmed in the region of Mount Betiri. An expedition to Mount Halimun Salak National Park in 1990 did not yield any definite, direct evidence for the continued existence of tigers. (Figure 1.k) |