The present day situation of the flora and fauna on our planet is turbulent and tragic because many of animals and plants belong to the endangered species. Due to the negligence and irresponsibility of humans, many of species are at the vanishing point. One of such animals is Siberian tiger who lives in the woods of Eastern Russia, China, and North Korea. Its population had decreased to the critical point in 1940, and there are only about 500 Amur tigers in the world nowadays. As Siberian, or Amur, tigers are rare species, it is necessary to analyze the essential reasons for their obsolescence.
The main reason for their extinction is the destruction of their habitat places. Deforestation prevents their ability to hunt and live in the familiar area. People cut the trees to sell and make the profit as well as consume the same prey. Because of these challenges, tigers are forced to move to other areas where they are not able to survive successfully.
One more important threat for the tigers’ disappearance is the loss of food sources. The typical ration of the Siberian tiger consists of deer, bears, fish, and rabbits. When these items disappear, tigers have nothing to eat, and therefore, they hunt for domestic animals. People are afraid of tigers and extirpation of their domestic animals so they kill tigers which try to steal their cattle.
Moreover, the hide and meat of the Siberian tiger are considered to be the real treasure which has a high price. That is why people hunt for them despite of the fact that it is forbidden. Their meat is a delicacy, while bones, teeth, and whiskers are the ingredients for traditional Chinese medicine. Consequently, poaching is the serious problem regarding the disappearance of Siberian tigers.
To summarize, one has to mention that people are responsible for the extermination of Siberian tigers because their illegal and inhumane actions cause this unpleasant situation. First of all, people destroy the habitat of the tigers, and tigers cannot hunt and live in their comfort zone. Secondly, the greed for gain makes people hunt for tigers in order to sell their hide, meat, and other parts of the body. Finally, the distinction of typical animals which the tigers consume make them come to people’s homes and hunt for their livestock, therefore, peasants kill tigers in order to save their own cattle.
References
- Charbonneau, L. (2014). The magnificent Siberian: A novel. New York: D.I. Fine.
- Ellis, R. (2005). Tiger bone & rhino horn: The destruction of wildlife for traditional Chinese medicine. Washington: Island Press.
- Goldish, M. (2010). Siberian tiger. New York, N.Y.: Bearport Pub.
- Lyn Dybas, C. (2010). The Once and Future Tiger. Bioscience, 60(11), 872-877.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/bio.2010.60.11.3 - Tian, Y., Wu, J., Wang, T., & Ge, J. (2014). Climate change and landscape fragmentation jeopardize the population viability of the Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica). Landscape Ecology, 29(4), 621-637. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10980-014-0009-z