Assignment 2 Essay 1v5x5r

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Running head: Endangered Wild Tigers

Endangered Wild Tigers Joshua Medley University of North Carolina at Charlotte

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Introduction Although many different human activities can threaten or endanger a species, the greatest problems occur because of habitat destruction. Illegal hunting and trading and introduction of new species can also cause serious problems. Plants and animals are adapted to their habitats. Some species can live in a variety of habitats, others can live in only a very specific type of habitat. Either way, if its habitat is destroyed, a species may not be able to find food or shelter, so it vanishes. As the human population increases, there is a greater need for food, places to live, and fuel. To meet these needs, tropical forests, wetlands, grasslands, and other natural areas are cleared, settled, and developed and their resources harvested for human use. In the process, habitats are destroyed. Overharvesting is currently threatening species worldwide, especially food fish species such as the cod. Sometimes native animals are endangered when a new species is introduced into a habitat a large number of species are threatened by introduced species, or "exotics," plants or animals that are introduced into a habitat and bring with them diseases or the ability to compete more effectively than native species. The topic I have been interested in for a long time is endangered species. Since that’s a broad topic I decided to conduct research about endangered tigers and the many species it contains. Since I was little I was fascinated with animals and their existence on earth. I was curious about how the tigers are being preserved, how they are being killed and why they are

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being killed. I want to learn about each endangered species of tiger and get those questions answered and come to a conclusion on what needs to be done to help these tigers multiply. Possibly come to a conclusion on what to do to strengthen efforts that have already begun. Of the original nine subspecies of tigers, three have become extinct in the last 80 years; an average of one every 20 years. It has been predicted all tigers may become extinct in the wild within the next decade. Poaching, habitat loss and fragmentation have reduced the global population of tigers from over 100,000 in the 1900′s, to less than 4,000 in the 1970′s (Tigers in Crisis). Today, four of the remaining subspecies of tigers are considered endangered by the IUCN, while two of the subspecies are considered “critically” endangered. The total number of all the wild populations of the six-remaining subspecies of tigers (Bengal, Indochinese, Malayan, Siberian, South China, and Sumatran) is estimated to be between 3,000 – 3,600 tigers (Tigers in crisis). Literature Reviews I interviewed two people about their views of Tigers and their endangerment and they both feel that illegal poaching should be handled in a different way. They feel that more laws and more strict rules and regulations should be put in place. International relationships between the United States and countries such as India and China should be strengthened so tiger conservation can become stronger. The United States can really be a game changer in this process. Andrew Currie was the speaker of Protecting Endangered Species for Future Generations (2010). He talked about how the world is increasing in population and that’s going to cause more land use. The more land use the less land there will be available for wildlife. He wants us as people to find ways to preserve all wildlife. Andrew Currie uses a quote from Tenzin Gyatso who was the fourteenth Dalai Lama and is states, “Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of universal responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to

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human, but also to other forms of life”. Human population pressure is the main population to the destruction of animal species due to human population growth. There are already millions of people starving in this planet. What is it going to be like if we increase the human population pressure by another fifty percent? There will be more disease and less food causing people to become more desperate and start killing animals at an alarming rate. That also includes endangered species such as the tiger. So, saving the wild tiger first starts with humans and the actions that will need to be taken in order to improve the population. Tigers don’t have a representative to speak up for them so their survival is dependent on our good will much like children. What can we do to save the tigers? We can extend empathy to tigers like we would our own pets. We also can donate to wildlife foundations that endangered species such as the tiger as well wildlife conservation. Snatching Success from The Jaws of Failure in Tiger Conservation (2013): Philip Nyhus specializes in big cats and he is talking about how the most populated area is China, which is where most of the tiger species live. He is also interested in human-wildlife conflict as well as endangered species conservation. Tigers are being killed for game and their fur. We need to take action. Tigers have a close relationship with humans. It took all of human history for us to go from being ourselves an endangered species to reaching our first billion people in 1800. A century later for us to get to 1.8 billion people. In the twentieth century, we got to over six billion people, and that’s when we had more of an impact on the coexisting tiger species. In that same century, the tiger population in Asia went from an estimated one hundred thousand to five thousand. Over that same time period much of the habitat that the wild tigers lived in as well as the other different animal species began to disappear. As the population of people in china began to rise, the demand for land began to rise especially with the Chinese and Indian population

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reaching well over one billion. People need land for food, housing, cultivation, energy, and transportation. That’s when the most significant challenges begin to occur while people and wildlife try to coexist. Humans have always struggled to coexist with so called “beasts” such as tigers because the people feel that they pose a threat to the safety of their families. Today, the biggest problem besides fragmentation and degradation of habitat is that poachers and other people are harvesting tigers for profit. Not only is that happening to tigers, this is happening to the animals that tigers prey on. The need for tiger products is driving them towards extinction today. There are about three thousand tigers left in the wild and efforts are being made to produce more tigers such as breeding facilities in Europe and zoos across the world. Some are poorly handled and taken to tiger farms where they are being bred for tiger parts. Another problem is that aside from the population of tigers that exist in the wild, there are many tigers held in captivity around the world. This is a problem because by blending different subspecies of tigers together, they become mutts. By becoming mutts that haven’t been in the wild, they’re useless in the wild. White tigers are also becoming more prevalent in captivity and they are also useless in the wild because of their white fur and mainly because white tigers are simply not a subspecies of tiger. Their white fur eliminates any chance of them being able to use camouflage to sneak up on prey. If they can’t sneak up on prey, they won’t be able to get food which causes starvation. Fortunately, there has been a lot of attention that has been given to the challenge and the failure of our protection of wild tigers. Many conservation organizations along with many governments around the world are working together and planning to double the population of wild tigers by the year of the tiger in 2022. Save ourselves by saving tigers (2014): Steve Winter at TEDxGateway 2013 Steve Winters discusses his work as a photographer for National Geographic. He talks about what he’s

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seen throughout his time as a photographer. He took photos of tigers and many other animals along with the poachers. Winters begins to discuss his journey through the jungle of India with his camera taking photos of what people back home don’t see on television. Tigers are being killed for profit so the poor can afford the things that they need. Their habitat is being destroyed for gold mining to possibly create a better life for the people. Winters caught pictures of tigers up close so people around the world can have a better opinion of tigers and possibly help save the tiger. People see pictures everyday whether it’s on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. What better way to raise awareness than through the younger generation? He captured pictures of the palm oil plantations in India which were damaging the habitat and is a big reason why the Sumatra tigers (Tiger subspecies) are on the verge of extinction. Winters believes that if we save the top predator in the ecosystem (which is the tigers in this case) you can save an entire ecosystem. Saving the tiger with half a flush by Rohit Varma of TEDxBangalore was the title of this video (2016). Varma is a professional photographer from India that has grew up around the jungle and has experienced the many aspects of it. He takes pictures of many animals in the jungle including the tiger. He talks about how key nature is to earths survival. He grew up in a village near the jungle so he’s experienced the wildlife there first hand and that’s how his love for the wilderness started. Mining has really taken off in India in the recent years which is not only destroying the habitat, its destroying the air around it. India loses almost 7.3 million hectares of forest every year due to deforestation. The forest is important because is benefits the air that every mammal breathes, it provides food as well as benefits the water for all life, and it provides shelter. Humans can make a difference by owning up to it and believing that we can make a difference and then take action. Our survival depends on nature. Saving the tigers of Bangladesh: Henry Churchill at TEDxDhaka (2012). Churchill

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discusses the importance of the tiger and its beauty to the world. He also covers the reason why tigers are being killed and the history of their population. Three out of eight subspecies of tigers have already gone extinct. In the 1930’s the Bali tiger went extinct, in the 1950’s the Caspian tiger disappeared, and in the 1980’s the Javon Tiger went extinct. Thousands if Bengal tigers were poached in India in the 1990’s. Imagine a future without tigers. In about ten years the entire tiger species could go extinct. Tigers need a healthy ecosystem to thrive in, meaning that they need thousands of miles of vegetation to roam in. Bangladesh is home of the largest population of tiger in the world holding around five hundred tigers which is important because it holds the future of the wild tiger in its hands. Saving animals, saving the future by John Linehan at TEDxYouth at Beacon Street (2015). Linehan talks about saving wild animals from endangerment. He picks animals from the zoo and tells stories about them. He slowly relates that back to preserving their habitats. Not only do tigers go through turmoil and are close to extinction, the animals around them are in the same condition. Zoos around the country are not only trying to get people to enjoy the presence of tigers, they are trying to convert every visitor into a conservationist. Wildlife Conservation by Hilary D. Claggett contains articles, book excerpts, and other writings about wildlife conservation (1997). Claggett discusses the importance of conservation efforts. She explores topics such as threats to wildlife, legislation, and politics, managing ecosystems, and the changing mission of zoos. First I thought politics were in the background of conservation then I thought can’t be true but now I think politics and wildlife go hand and hand. I would the authors claims based on the efforts of conservation that has already been in place. Can We Save The Tiger: A book By Martin Jenkins and Vicky White (2011). Tigers are in

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danger of disappearing altogether, ing the dodo, the marsupial wolf, the great auk, and countless other animals we will never see again. Using the experiences of a few endangered species as examples, Jenkins highlights the ways human behavior can either threaten or conserve the amazing animals that share our planet. White's portraits of rare creatures offer a glimpse of nature's grace and beauty and give us a powerful reason to preserve it. This book really just covers how human behavior affects wildlife, not just tigers. Entering the Conversation There is an issue that is still a big gap. In what ways are we trying to preserve tigers and helping them multiply so they can be released into the wild? A solution could be that countries should come together along with the WWF and discuss conservation techniques for the wild tiger. The best option is to hold a specific amount tigers in captivity and breed them for a certain amount of years so the population can increase. The study can be conducted is the mental and behavioral effects of the tigers being held in captivity verses the tigers born in the wild. They could also study the behaviors of the tigers after they are released back into the wild. The results could be used for future projects and the results could possibly change how researchers and conservationists approach the next conservation project. Why does saving the tigers matter? So, if the entire tiger population were to go extinct, other species would go extinct. By tigers going extinct, leaves behind a scar, which affects the entire ecosystem. The tiger is a unique animal which plays an important role in the overall health and diversity of an ecosystem. So, the tiger’s destruction would effect more than just the wildlife around them, it affects the people that depend on wildlife for survival. Conclusion Why should we care about the existence of Tigers? Let's look at it this way. The Earth

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functions like an incredible machine. Biodiversity is the many parts of the machine working together. Plants and animals make up the individual parts. When one part is damaged or removed completely the machine can no longer function. Where will we be when the Earth no longer works? If tigers are completely wiped out, the ecosystem would be permanently damaged. Some animals will overpopulate due to the lack of tigers. That will cause a shortage in vegetation. It causes a domino effect but we are the only ones that can stop this. References Churchill, H. (2012, October 05). Saving the tigers of Bangladesh. Retrieved February 14, 2017, from http://amara.org/he/videos/L7Fh0n8i2Ywa/en/510411/ Claggett, H. D. (1997). Wildlife Conservation. H.w. Wilson Co. Currie, A. (2010, October 12). Protecting endangered species for future generations Retrieved February 14, 2017, from http://ed.ted.com/on/4ppuQroY Jenkins, M., & White, V. (2011). Can we save the Tiger? Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. Linehan, J. (2015, February 19). Saving animals, saving the future. Retrieved February 14, 2017, from http://ccsubs.com/video/yt:xcqsQuvtH7E/saving-animals-saving-thefuture-john-linehan-tedxyouthatbeaconstreet/subtitles?lang=en

Nyhus, P. (2013, March 21). Snatching Success from The Jaws of Failure in Tiger Conservation Retrieved February 14, 2017, from http://ccsubs.com/video/yt:8AnOzjdEPiI/snatching-success-from-the-jaws-of-failurein-tiger-conservation-philip-nyhus-at-tedxcolbycollege/subtitles?lang=en

Varma, R. (2016, April 13). Saving the tiger with half a flush. Retrieved February 14, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2227eTyhVHE Winter, S. (2014, January 17). Save ourselves by saving tigers. Retrieved February 14,

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2017, from http://www.stevewinterphoto.com/Lectures/1/