Are Tigers Becoming Extinct?

1. Are Tigers Becoming Extinct? 100 years ago there were 8 different kinds of tigers (subspecies) - there were over 100,000 wild tigers in the world. Today, there are only 5 tiger subspecies left and there are fewer than 7,000 wild tigers in the world.The main threats to tigers are poaching, loss of habitat, and population fragmentation. There are United States and International policies and legislations in place to protect the Tigers such as The Captive Wildlife Safety Act and, Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act. The following slides show the remaining 5 tiger subspecies and information about each. This information was found on a web site called Tigers in Trouble at www.5tigers.org.

2. Siberian or Amur Tiger The Amur tiger is can also be called the Siberian, Manchurian, Ussurian, or Northeast China tiger. Amur tigers live mainly in the forests of eastern Russia. A few Amur tigers are found in northeastern China and northern North Korea. Researchers think that there are between 350 and 400 wild Amur tigers in the world today. Amur tigers are the biggest cats in the world. Males can grow to be 10’9” long and weigh as much as 660 pounds. Females are smaller. They measure about 8 ½’ from head to tail and weigh between 200 and 370 pounds.

3. Bengal Bengal tigers live mainly in India, with smaller populations in southern Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and western Myanmar. They live in a very wide range of habitats and climates, ranging from hot and wet to very dry and cold. Researchers believe that there are between 3,000 and 5,000 wild Bengal tigers living in the world today. Male Bengal tigers are about 9 ½’ long from head to tail and weigh approximately 480 pounds. Females are smaller. They are about 8 feet long and weigh approximately 300 pounds.

4. Indochinese Indochinese tigers live mainly in Thailand but they are also found in Myanmar, southern China, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and peninsular Malaysia. Tigers live in remote forests in hilly to mountainous terrain. Much of their habitat lies along the borders between countries. Researchers think that there are between 1,227–1,785 Indochinese tigers left in the in the world today. Male Indochinese tigers are about 9’ long from head to tail and weigh up to 400 pounds. Females are smaller. They weigh approximately 250 pounds and are about 8’ long.

5. South China Researchers do not know if there are any South China tigers left in the wild. There are 21 reserves in tiger habitat, and Chinese specialists believe that between 20 and 30 tigers are still left in these areas. The South China tiger is the rarest of the five living tiger subspecies, the most threatened, and the closest to extinction. The last time a South China tiger was seen in the wild was 10 years ago and it is not known if any wild tigers still exist. The South China tiger is one of the smallest tiger subspecies. Male tigers are about 8’ long from head to tail and weigh around 330 pounds. Females are smaller. They are approximately 7 ½’ feet long and weigh about 240 pounds. .

6. Sumatran Sumatran tigers live only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Their habitat ranges from lowland forest to submountain and mountain forest with some peat-moss forest. Researchers think that there about 400 Sumatran tigers in the wild today. They live mainly in the island's five national parks. Sumatran tigers are the smallest tiger subspecies. Males are about 8’ long from head to tail and weigh approximately 264 pounds. Females are smaller. They are about 7’ long and weigh around 198 pounds.