Tigers, an update
Dec
12
Written by:
12/12/2011 9:39 AM
At Riled Up, we have paid close attention to the status of tigers and the demand for their body parts in China. The “lords of the jungle” continue to loose out to the Chinese mythology of their aphrodisiac properties and extinction in the wild is not un-imagined. The Diane Rehm Show focused an entire program on the problem of effective tiger conservation and the primary need for enforcement of conservation laws in Asian nations, the tigers natural range.

Siberian Tiger
(credit: AP/WAMU)
Additionally, the December issue of National Geographic Magazine features an article by the environmental writer Caroline Alexander. It is a must read and a real ‘call to action’ for the tiger.

Sumatran Tiger in camera trap
(credit: National Geographic Society)
The “good news” for the conservation of this iconic top predator is that given proper protection, tigers reproduce very rapidly and can be naturally restored to their native habitats. However, the tigers need truly effective law enforcement in their forest habitats to breed. Panthera, a wild cat conservation group, has focused their full attention on this issue and is well worth supporting.

Natural Range of the Tiger
(credit: WWF)
Tiger conservation is simple, demand from China is increasing, and effective action remains poor. You connect the dots!
Riled Up