The Tiger

Unfortunately, when it comes to endangered species, the tiger stands in the top five. When I say the tiger, I don't just mean the White Tiger, or the Indian Tiger, I mean the entire species of tigers. Newspapers such as the New York Times are speculating that the last years of the tiger is closer than we think. Experts and professionals are speculating that within the year of 2010, the population of wild tigers will dwindle to below 3,000 worldwide-less than 3% of what it was 100 years ago. Today, their range has been reduced to small areas, isolating many of the animals into impoverished groups of only a dozen or fewer cats.

Its sad when such a dominating animal's survival, such as the tiger's, is completely and utterly dependent on the help and intelligence of humans. Obviously, in strenth and physical size, the tiger is ultimately superior to humans. Unfortunately for the tigers, it is the fault of man kind only that keeps them at the number three spot on the endangered species list. We put them on the list, and now it is our own responsibility, as humans, to either save them from a terrible fate, or allow them to fade away into obscurity. Surprisingly, even the different tiger reserves stationed around the globe have arrived at the point where they no longer have any tigers to house. Mull that little fact over for a minute. A fact such as that gives you more of an ideal image of the epidemic the tiger faces in the very near future.

There is an estimated 5,000 captive tigers in China, and another 8,000 captive tigers worldwide. Most are mainly kept for exhibits, entertainment, pets, and even livestock. There is even one specific spot located somewhere in Texas, that houses more captive tigers in that one area than the wild tigers that still exist and walk the earth. Meanwhile, professionals and experts continue to talk about how to keep the biggest of big cats freely and happily roaming in a few small corners that are left on the planet.