The Sumatran Tiger, an Endangered Animal
GGTMProject.SVanS
GGTMProject.SVanS
The Sumatran tiger is considered to be a ‘critically’ endangered species.
In recent years Sumatra has seen a great deal of agricultural growth, and this has fragmented the tigers habitat. Most of the remaining Sumatran tigers now live in five National Parks, two Game Reserves, though around 100 live in an unprotected area that will most likely be lost to agriculture in the near future.
This destruction of habitat is considered the greatest threat to the survival of the Sumatran tiger, followed by poaching. The tigers are especially vulnerable to poaching in the ‘unprotected’ areas. China is considered the largest consumer and producer of manufactured products containing tiger parts, though tiger bones and other tiger products have been found in Taiwan and South Korea, and in North American cities. If they are to survive or not to be an endangered species, then people need to have the wisdom to see the Sumatran tiger’s place in the world and in the culture.
What is the Sumatran tiger?
The Sumatran tiger is a subspecies of a tiger native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It’s the smallest of the tigers, possibly because it evolved on an isolated island habitat. The Sumatran tiger’s stripes are closer together and its fur is darker orange than other subspecies, better allowing it to blend into its tropical rainforest habitat.
Habitat loss and poaching are the two biggest threats the critically endangered Sumatran tiger faces. The expansion of oil palm plantations was the primary driver behind a nearly 20 percent loss in Sumatran tiger habitat between 2000 and 2012, one study found. (Palm oil, from the oil palm tree, is now the world’s most popular vegetable oil, used in everything from cookies and pizza dough to lipstick and soap.) Loss of prey animals because of deforestation is also having a negative effect on Sumatran tigers.
Tiger poaching occurs even in protected areas. Tiger bones are used to make tiger bone wine, a drink in demand by a small number of wealthy Chinese who believe it will impart the characteristics of the tiger to the drinker. Tiger canines may be worn as jewelry, and tiger skin furniture and other products are seen as status symbols among some in Asia.
Why are Sumatran Tigers Important?
The Sumatran tiger plays an important role in the availability of oxygen. The Sumatran tiger has been said to play an important role in the maintenance of balance within the ecological system by preventing the overpopulation of their preys. Additionally, the tigers also provide benefits to the human population in nearby regions.
Unfortunately, while the tigers do have their important contributions to the ecology, they have oftentimes come into conflict with the human population on the island – both directly and indirectly. Not surprisingly, this human-tiger conflict has resulted in an island-wide decrease in the Sumatran tiger population. Where the Sumatran tiger once numbered in the tens of thousands and was found across the island, only an estimated 400 remain today, their accessibility now restricted to fragmented areas within the island. These include the island’s national parks and isolated protected areas.
These conflicts are still rampant today, and the Sumatran tigers continue to decrease in numbers. At present, they are a “critically endangered” species that is in dire need of protection (as characterized by the 2002 IUCN Red List). There is an essential need for a step-up of current conservation efforts, as well as for the human population to identify with the tiger’s important place in the ecosystem. Otherwise, Indonesia might very well see the demise of the entire tiger population within the next couple of years.
