| Tiger |
 For over two million years, tigers have roamed the jungles and rugged mountain ranges of Asia, living in a variety of terrains ranging from dense evergreen forest to coastal swamps.  Rescued tiger at Wildlife Friends of Thailand rehabilitation centre, Phetchaburi Thailand. © 2007 Adam Oswell. In recent times, however, their numbers have fallen dramatically. Of the eight sub-species, which existed at the turn of the last century, three are now extinct whilst their population in the wild has fallen from approximately 100,000 to 7,000. Nowadays tigers are largely confined to small isolated pockets of land, mainly in India, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia and the Russian Far East.  The abbot of Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yanasampanno Forest Monastery, in Saiyok District of Kanchanaburi Province Thailand struggles to control a tiger posing for a tourists photograph. © 2007 Adam Oswell> Amongst the major threats facing tigers’ habitat are deforestation, population growth, agriculture and large-scale development projects such as dams, mines and commercial logging. Poaching for skins used as trophies and rugs, and the demand for tiger body parts used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is now considered the main threat to the species survival. Tiger meat is also consumed at restaurants in Asia specialising in exotic dishes.  A tiger lies in a freezer at a police station on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. © Paul Hilton< |