Spotlight: THE AMUR TIGER by:Â Andres Manuel Olivares Miranda
Amur tigers, also known as Siberian tigers, were once of the world’s most critically endangered species. In the 1940s, the species was dangerously close to extinction. Only about 40 individual tigers were in the wild at one point, but, as a result of wildlife conservation efforts, today the number is closer to 500.
These tigers live primarily in southeast Russia, but there are small numbers of them in China and possibly in North Korea as well. They are the largest big cats in the world (with the exception of the Liger, the lion/tiger hybrid found almost exclusively in zoos). Adult Amur tigers can grow to 10 feet long and weigh up to 700 pounds.
Poaching is the number one reason that Amur tigers are endangered. The black market demand for tiger parts remains high, so poaching continues to be a problem to this day.
The other major problem that the Amur tiger population faces in habitat loss. In the Russian Far East, illegal logging is a large problem. Illegal logging refers to the breaking of laws related to timber.
For example, chopping down trees in a protected area is illegal logging. Much of the logging done in Russia is likely illegal, and, as a result, has left tigers with a reduced habitat.
How They Can Be Saved The World Wildlife Federation (WWF) has been working to save Amur tigers for decades. The WWF believes that a new national park in the Russian Amazon is the ideal place for the tiger population to grow. The park is called Bikin National Park. It includes over 2.4 million acres of forest where tigers can roam, hunt, and live in peace. It is currently home to around 60 tigers, but the population is expected to grow to over 100 tigers.
Other efforts to protect Amur tigers include monitoring populations, protecting habitats in China and the Russian Far East, protecting tiger prey like deer and wild boar, as well as raising public awareness and advocating for better legislation. Because of their endangered status, many laws already protect these tigers, but these laws must be properly enforced if they are to be effective.
With some effort, Amur tiger populations will be able to increase. Maybe someday this beautiful animal will no longer need to be protected, but for now, it’s up to us to do our part to save them.