climate change
Climate change is one of the most prominent issues in modern society, as demonstrated by Figure 3.c; since 1958, the CO2 concentration has increased steadily, rising by over 80 ppm in the last 50 years. The loss of tigers would heavily accentuate the already evident consequences from the issue. Without the presence of tigers, the forest ecosystems which are currently protected as a vital habitat to the survival of the species would suffer from inevitable destruction. This would eradicate a considerable number of trees, which play a key role in repairing the damage done by climate change; trees absorb carbon dioxide, a major contributor to climate change, in their surrounding atmosphere for photosynthesis and instead, release oxygen, an element harmless to the environment. Without the existence of tigers, CO2 emissions would notably increase, furthering the development of climate change even more; deforestation currently accounts for 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions.