Sumatran Tiger: Endangered Species
Help Save Them!
Description of this Amazing species.
Kingdom: ANIMALIA, Phylum: CHORDATA, Class: MAMMALIA, Order: CARNIVORA, Family: FELIDAE, Scientific name: Panthera tigris sumatrae. These tigers are only living species left from the Sunda Islands. Their brothers and sisters are the Bali tiger (on Bali) the Javan tiger (Java) which are both now extinct. The Sumatran tiger isnt far from it either as their population is less than 400 and decreasing slowly. This puts them as a critically endangered species. Their last stronghold from extinction is the Sumatran Island of Indonesia. The males can reach up to 8 feet and weight up to 300 pounds. Their life span is only 15-20 years. They are the smallest of the Tiger family, and are distinguished from their black stripes on the orange and white coat. Sumatran tigers are Carnivores and eat from a range of snakes to young rhinos.
The Geographic Information
Today there are now 5 nation parks and 2 protected habitats for the Sumatran tiger. One is the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park. They prefer forests and like little to no human interaction at all. Without the coverage of the forest and the undercover it provides they are more vulnerable to be persecuted by humans. In present day the dangers they face are being killed off for commercial gain. Poaching of all kinds have been accounted for 78% of the populations decrease.
Threats and Solutions
Protected area of the Sumatran tiger are still in danger from illegal poaching, deforestation which is destroying their homes. With the destruction of the habitat and the introduction to humans they become aggressive and either are killed or die off from loss of their home. In 2004 Tesso Nilo tiger landscape, a protected are, is most likely the last remaining block of lowland tropical rainforest for tigers in Sumatra. In 2010 pushed for more protective landscaped in the National Tiger Recovery Program, and is now a global program for 13 ranged tiger countries. Although to me, the way to help these tigers are to close off the island of Sumatran and evacuate every person. The only way to get on or off the island would be by military clearance.