Are tigers doomed?

[Big Disney Fan]

Being that this is the year of the tiger, and that I've been concerned about this generally, do you think that tigers could be doomed to extinction by 2022? Their numbers have dwindled dramatically.

[Siren]

In the wild? Yes. With poaching and loss of habitat, they will likely be extinct in the wild.

There are more captive tigers than wild ones and the scary thing is, more captive tigers owned by private parties than in zoos for education. Tiger cubs are sold for as little as $500. You can't get a Caviler King Charles Spaniel for that amount of money. Many states make it too easy to own one, but those loopholes and relaxed laws are going away, thankfully.

[Big Disney Fan]

What should be done is to ban those Chinese medicines where they use tigers' bones as ingredients, because that's one factor in why the tiger's existence is hanging in the balance. We could ban them like we ban drugs.

[milojthatch]

While I say we fight till we can't fight anymore, the reality is that most likely a number of favorites in the animal kingdom will be no more before many of us die ourselves. We can thank foolishness of many humans for that root of this problem.

It is hard to protect many animals when you are dealing with other nations laws. Heck, it is hard enough to do much in the US, let alone a country like China! The UN could (and from what I understand does) get involved, but first the nation is question has to be willing to work with them. Further, greedy men must stand down and find other, less harmful ways to earn a living.

[Goliath]

I dunno... Tiger Woods, maybe...

[Kyle]

I think they'll be fine. It may take a lot of effort, but I think they can and will be saved.

[milojthatch]

Check it out! On the list of endangered species are some long time favorites.

Tigers
African and Asian Elephants
Orangutans
Gorillas
Whales
Dolphins
Polar Bears
African and Asian Rhinos
Giant Pandas
and many others.

I mean these are not odd species that most may never hear of, these are species that are turned into cartoon characters! That are made into stuffed toys! That are used to help children learn the ABC's! These are very mainstream animals and as of right now it is not looking good for any of them.

I fear we will do to these species what God's flood could not, whip them out. Do we really want them to be fictional? To tell out children about what they used to be like instead of what they are? Until they are off that list, we can't afford to say that it will all work out. No, right now it will not. Until enough people start waking up and caring, these animals are about to be kin to unicorns and dragons.

http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/

[Big Disney Fan]

I fear we will do to these species what God's flood could not, whip them out. Do we really want them to be fictional? To tell out children about what they used to be like instead of what they are? Until they are off that list, we can't afford to say that it will all work out. No, right now it will not. Until enough people start waking up and caring, these animals are about to be kin to unicorns and dragons.

I don't think they ever will be off that list. I also don't think that as long as money is an object, people ever will wake up and care.

[milojthatch]

I fear we will do to these species what God's flood could not, whip them out. Do we really want them to be fictional? To tell out children about what they used to be like instead of what they are? Until they are off that list, we can't afford to say that it will all work out. No, right now it will not. Until enough people start waking up and caring, these animals are about to be kin to unicorns and dragons.

I don't think they ever will be off that list. I also don't think that as long as money is an object, people ever will wake up and care.

Sadly, I tend to agree. Except for one part, once they no longer exist they will be taken off that list.

[Super Aurora]

Check it out! On the list of endangered species are some long time favorites.

Tigers
African and Asian Elephants
Orangutans
Gorillas
Whales
Dolphins
Polar Bears
African and Asian Rhinos
Giant Pandas
and many others.

I mean these are not odd species that most may never hear of, these are species that are turned into cartoon characters! That are made into stuffed toys! That are used to help children learn the ABC's! These are very mainstream animals and as of right now it is not looking good for any of them.

I fear we will do to these species what God's flood could not, whip them out. Do we really want them to be fictional? To tell out children about what they used to be like instead of what they are? Until they are off that list, we can't afford to say that it will all work out. No, right now it will not. Until enough people start waking up and caring, these animals are about to be kin to unicorns and dragons.

http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/

you forgot to add snow leopard to that list. they are in extreme endanger

[Siren]

One should also remember, its not just the big, well known animals who are in danger of extinction. And its not even just animals in danger of extinction. Many lesser known animals, as well as plants and trees are close to extinction.

People don't understand, that even one species of beetle becoming extinct will impact other species.

For instance...there is a tree in the South American rain forest that uses a poison to keep animals from eating it, but one type of beetle can eat it safely and it absorbs this poison, so they then become poisonous and are less likely to be eaten, but some frog species can eat these beetles and then absorb that poison themselves and use it to protect themselves. And the tribes in the area then take those frogs and catch them and squeeze or rub them over their arrow and dart tips to use that poison to catch their prey. If you take one of those animals out of the scenario, you have broken the chain of life that nature took so long to build.

Here is a list of lesser known species
http://www.disaboomlive.com/Blogs/saydr ... imals.aspx

[milojthatch]

I very well know there are a few other major animals and of course MANY animals that are on the list period and we need all of them. But, the sad fact is the pubic is more likely to respond to the big names and my point was that a number of popular animals may not exist much longer. And yet even though they are so popular, their existence is still up in the air! Humans are stupid creatures in a larger context.

[Aqua]

I'd figure in a thread like this there'd be annoying PETA jokes, since anyone who has geniune interest/love for animals is sometimes considered a PETA nutjob. But yeah, it is quite sad. No, I wouldn't risk my life with Greenpeace to save the Whales but damn it, can't I be sad or shake my head in disapproval for endangered animals without some jack*** saying '"Omg!!!1 youz a peta nujob!!!1''.

I also never expected some of the common animals that we learned about in our childhood to be....Gone....0_0

[ajmrowland]

Is there a song about stupidity? I'd love to sing that right now. Honestly, it's this stuff that needs to be on tv; not Brangelina, or whatever.

[Super Aurora]

I'd figure in a thread like this there'd be annoying PETA jokes, since anyone who has geniune interest/love for animals is sometimes considered a PETA nutjob. But yeah, it is quite sad. No, I wouldn't risk my life with Greenpeace to save the Whales but damn it, can't I be sad or shake my head in disapproval for endangered animals without some jack*** saying '"Omg!!!1 youz a peta nujob!!!1''.

I also never expected some of the common animals that we learned about in our childhood to be....Gone....0_0

Peta goes nuts over chickens. You hardly see anything about them trying to save the wild animals/plants that are endangered, just domesticated farm animals that are raise and breed for livestock.

[Big Disney Fan]

I'd figure in a thread like this there'd be annoying PETA jokes, since anyone who has geniune interest/love for animals is sometimes considered a PETA nutjob. But yeah, it is quite sad. No, I wouldn't risk my life with Greenpeace to save the Whales but damn it, can't I be sad or shake my head in disapproval for endangered animals without some jack*** saying '"Omg!!!1 youz a peta nujob!!!1''.

I also never expected some of the common animals that we learned about in our childhood to be....Gone....0_0

Peta goes nuts over chickens. You hardly see anything about them trying to save the wild animals/plants that are endangered, just domesticated farm animals that are raise and breed for livestock.

Go figure.

[Siren]

As an animal welfare advocate, I often am insulted with phrases like, "PETA nutjob" and other such crap.

PETA is 100% against the keeping of pets. If they controlled the world, there would be no dogs, cats, horses, not even a goldfish for us to have as a pet. They see pet keeping as a form of slavery. They want to do away with service animals for the handicapped and service animals who work with search and rescue, police work, customs work, and military work. Dogs have saved millions of lives. Without dogs, many more people would have died after 9/11 and the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile. Customs dogs have found billions of dollars worth of contraband before it crossed the border. Everything from drugs, to automatic weapons, bombs, exotic animals and even plants (that could decimate our agriculture if they have a disease). Police dogs are amazing, they put more fear in crooks than a police's weapon aimed at their head. More criminals give up when they hear "We'll release the dog" than when they threaten to shoot. And PETA wants that all gone. Losing pets is bad enough, losing service animals will cause more pain and death. PETA also supports all breed bans, especially those that force owners to hand over their dogs to be put to sleep.

"Ethical treatment" my arse. Killing perfectly healthy dogs isn't ethical at all. Its ignorant and cruel.

So the fact PETA makes fools of themselves when they go after KFC pales in comparison to their main agendas. If you thought PETA was nuts before, I bet you think they are certifiable insane now.

Also, like I said, I am for animal welfare. NOT animal rights. There IS a difference. A BIG difference. Animal welfare means, you want animals to be treated humanly. You don't automatically have to be a vegan. As an animal welfare advocate, I don't want to see the end of meat, eggs, and milk. I do however want to see better care for these animals. Cage and range free farms are slowly on the rise. The animals are allowed outdoors, in pastures, not holed up in a warehouse, fed crumbled corn as a diet. They are allowed to eat more natural diets. Grasses, leaves, hay, etc. They are also not fed hormones either. I support the keeping of pets, again, humanly. I support regulating exotic pets. I support zoos with breeding programs, not zoos who just have the animals on display.

Animal rights is being against any use of an animal...ever. Zoo, entertainment, pets, experimentation, etc. Animals have a right to live how they please, set them free or euthanize them if they can't make it on their own.

[milojthatch]

I'd figure in a thread like this there'd be annoying PETA jokes, since anyone who has geniune interest/love for animals is sometimes considered a PETA nutjob. But yeah, it is quite sad. No, I wouldn't risk my life with Greenpeace to save the Whales but damn it, can't I be sad or shake my head in disapproval for endangered animals without some jack*** saying '"Omg!!!1 youz a peta nujob!!!1''.

I also never expected some of the common animals that we learned about in our childhood to be....Gone....0_0

PETA does more harm to animals then good. They carry on with their foolishness and ticks everyone off and people that may be able to see the light and do things to help save animals are turned off by PETA. And yes, they have created the stigma in many people that as soon as you talk about saving animals, you must be a "PETA nuts job."

Organizations like the WWF are much better to work through and pay attention to.

[yamiiguy]

Tigers, in my opinion, will be fine for a while, several subspecies may go extinct in the wild though. It's an even sadder story for the species that don't have public awareness, *waves goodbye to most amphibian species*

[Siren]

yamii guy, no disrespect, but your opinion comes in direct conflict with facts. And your comment on "several subspecies"...There is no such thing as a species of cat known as simply, Tiger. They are ALL subspecies. And they are all highly endangered.

Bengal tigers population has dropped by 60%. Less than 1,500 in the wild.
Sumatran tigers have a wild population of 500-600. 66 of them were shot and killed in a 2 year span.
Siberian tigers have a wild population of 400-500.
South China tiger, there is no number. This animal has been listed as one of the most endangered species, with a sidenote that its likely already extinct.
Malayan tigers are numbered at 400-600 in the wild.

The Bali tiger and Javan tiger are both listed as extinct.

What's left of the tiger population is becoming more and more inbred. So not only is habitat loss and poaching causing their numbers to dwindle, but the act of breeding is also causing deformed and diseased young. Some of the wild tiger attacks have been looked at as being the inbred young who have turned to killing and eating people.