Endangered species the tiger

1. Endangered speciesthe tiger Ruby Reveles Period 3 4/7/11

2. Habitat • Tigers are native to much of Asia. From some of the coldest regions to the hot Indonesian Islands. • Tigers can survive extreme weather such as the hot heat of the desert and they do well in grasslands and swamps. • They need a good source of water and vegetation cover. • I chose the tiger because I wanted to do one that isn’t found in the US. • Also because they are at the top of the ecosystem.

3. What they eat & what hunts them… • Tigers mainly eat deer and wild boar. Their eating habits depends on the type of habitat. • They also eat domestic livestock, buffalo, antelope, and monkeys. Some eat grass, berries, and fruits. • No other animals hunt tigers. They are at the top of the food chain.

4. Diseases that affect them… • Babesiosis: A parasitic disease that affects wild cats through ticks and causes symptoms similar to those of malaria. • ParagonimousWestermani: Pulmonary Leech • TaeniaBubesei: 9m long intestine parasite.

5. Effect of extinction on environment… • The extinction of the tiger will have a great impact because it is one of the top predators in the wilderness. • They are at the top of the food chain and are an important part of the ecosystem. • They help keep the balance upon herbivores and the vegetation they eat. • Without them the population of herbivores would increase which would cause a greater demand for vegetation and habitats. • If they were to go completely extinct, the ecosystem would colapse.

6. What is being done to protect them… • Keeping tigers in zoos where they are taken care of correctly. This assures a greater life span. • Conservationists are creating protected environmental sanctuaries. • Laws against illegal trading.

7. How they became endangered… • Illegal killing and poaching. • Loss of habitat. • Population fragmentation • Competition between tigers against other tigers for habitat or food.