Tigers, iconic big cats of Asia, face a severe crisis. Their populations have declined dramatically, pushing them to endangered status across their remaining range. Understanding the reasons behind this decline is essential for their long-term survival.
Loss of Habitat and Prey
Tigers require expansive territories, but their habitats are rapidly diminishing and becoming fragmented. Deforestation for agriculture, including palm oil and rubber plantations, is a primary driver of this loss. Forests are cleared for these crops, destroying the dense vegetation tigers rely on for cover and hunting. Infrastructure development, including roads, dams, and urban areas, further fragments these remaining habitats.
Habitat fragmentation isolates tiger populations into smaller, disconnected areas. This isolation limits gene flow, leading to reduced genetic diversity and increased susceptibility to inbreeding, which can compromise their health. As their habitats shrink, tigers experience a decline in their natural prey base, such as deer and wild boar. Deforestation and human hunting pressure reduce food availability, compelling them to venture outside protected areas. This scarcity of prey contributes to increased encounters with human settlements.
Illegal Poaching and Wildlife Trade
Illegal poaching is a significant threat to tiger survival. Tigers are hunted for their body parts, which are highly valued in illicit wildlife markets. Their bones are sought for traditional medicine or products like tiger bone wine, while skins are desired for rugs or decorative items. Teeth and claws are often crafted into trinkets or amulets.
This illegal trade is driven by consumer demand and financial incentives. Organized criminal networks operate complex structures to conceal identities and move tiger products across national and international borders. Despite international prohibitions on tiger trade since 1975, the industry persists, with online platforms now facilitating some illicit sales. Combatting poaching is challenging due to the vast territories tigers inhabit, the sophisticated nature of these criminal operations, and inadequate enforcement resources.
Human-Tiger Conflict
As tiger habitats shrink and natural prey becomes scarce, tigers are increasingly forced into human-inhabited areas. This encroachment leads to escalating conflicts between tigers and local communities. Tigers may prey on domestic livestock, such as cattle, goats, and pigs, when wild food sources are insufficient. These incidents result in economic losses for villagers, often leading to retaliatory killings of tigers.
Tigers may also enter agricultural fields, causing crop damage, or, in rarer instances, directly attack humans. Such direct encounters, particularly if they result in injury or fatality, can lead to fear and a strong desire within communities to eliminate the tiger perceived as a threat. This direct mortality from retaliatory actions further compounds the challenges for tiger populations already struggling with habitat loss and poaching.