More details on the tiger species.
We use the tiger (this is a prime Siberian example) to show up our failure to conserve wild species, but while we monopolise all the food that animals require, we could remember that it is not only their conservation we urgently need to cover. It is also our own indulgences.
How will we view the current conservation crisis in the future. Tigers, like it or not, are at the forefront of poaching and habitat preservation. We will be judged on whether this is an oversight in counting Indochinese tigers or a genuine result of conservators who struggle to maintain the worlds great rainforests and often die in the attempt. Armed poachers are matched rarely in firepower by rangers and wardens, so protection here may involve more than patrolling. The cameras need to reveal faces and the legal profession needs to get busy on very heavy punishment for those who operate for the ugliest of all motives - greed.
Tiger, leopard and dhole! Carnivores, large and small, govern resources across the whole spectrum of natural habitats, whether terrestrial or marine. Here they interact to give real meaning to the word ecology. Camera traps are proving invaluable for relieving our ignorance of all communities of animals and plants, whether threatened like these, or simply our local wood. We love the tiger, Panthera tigris, the leopard, Panthera pardus and the dhole, Cuon alpinus, (http://www.earthtimes.org/conservation/dhole-cuon-alpinus/2076/ ) and you can read that from our frequent stories on them! Here we study them as an unusual grouping, now called a carnivore guild.
How does the fate of the desperately-threatened tiger subspecies become involved with their relative on another continent? The answer lies in the actions of the South African government, who continue to submit to pressure groups who breed lions and sell them for various less-than-human activities. I hesitate to recommend any action on such obvious manipulations, but a letter to these people can only help. EIA recommend this action in their article on how tigers are affected.
The prevention of poaching and cooperation with local residents is becoming more and more critical to conservation. International politics maybe the most advertised conservation issue, but its the grass roots that can determine survival- or not. The poaching of animals for indescribable uses is repugnant to all of us, when we can be made to think about it. Now is the time to stop destroying the small parts of ecosystems that remain on earth and realise just how greedily international corporations still operate
From cougars to tree frogs and tiger to elephant, we protect the wild from many threats. It is not only orangutans that are affected by lack of planning and knowledge in wildlife reintroductions. The situation on the ground and in the labs that unearth genetic mistakes is made clear with painstaking research. The future could leave us with little wildlife in Africa, SE Asia or in fact, anywhere, unless the planning is logical and forward-looking.
Cats, dogs, tigers and sharks, turtles, butterflies and beetles: take your pick. The danger is in every species we know becoming more and more uncommon. Habitat loss varies from wetland draining, damming and forest clearance to marine pollution, ice loss and mountain tourism. The IUCN at least keep us up-to-date on many animals and plants. Beware- you could be losing one of your local favourite species, and you never knew!
How popular are these apparently so aggressive and pest-like praying mantids? They are great pest-controllers, have a huge variety of different species, from flower mantis to giant African tigers of the cabbage patch; they make marvellous, quite attentive pets and dont bother your mother because they die after their short adult span. Now we learn something new about a familiar animal. Those leaps they made as nymphs are actually carefully plotted, either to escape from their cannibalistic siblings, or to jump on tiny flies. The wonder of super-mantis never stops.
The hopes for Kathmandu must be high in Asia, and elsewhere. Can the overwhelming demand in China for illegal, unhealthy and morbid bits of animals be slowed down? Money certainly has not brought pleasure to China in the case of these people. The poachers too must be punished and faced with ultimate force if they are not to make these iconic species extinct. Nepal can produce this effect, so perhaps military efficiency is the answer to the violence and money of the traffickers.
From Thailand to the southeast of China and then throughout the Sunda shelf much of which is now underwater, the rainforest was supreme. It was delineated by the presence of many species of dipterocarp, entwined with rattans and delicious fruiting trees, all set off with the huge biodiversity of tigers and elephant, Orang-utan and civets. It still remains, but it desperately cries out for conservation all of that which is left!
After the International Tiger Day, more 'big game' is in trouble. The targeting of elephant in South Africa would bring matters there to a head, as a final solution must be found to this serious lack of conservation success for both rhino and elephant.
International Tiger Day: The remaining 3,200 tigers from 6 sub-species are lucky to be free, but also suffer severely from human interference and frequent attack. It is our job above all to ensure that the distinct tigers are able to breed and reproduce the animals that can survive in their 6 distinct niches. Without help, I'm afraid there is no future whatsoever. The Far East is responsible for huge losses of tigers (elephants, bears, sharks and rhinos, too) and "breeding programs" have to be curtailed when they are obviously simply selling tiger parts. Awareness and ultimate protection will all contribute to a successful defense of these last of the really big cats.
The telling of stories was the source of history, legends, and even science in some cases. This study of things fairy-like and fantastic is not about the child; it relates how modern technique can uncover ancient culture and how it really worked.
How the lion and the tiger were related to American lions, the jaguar and several extinct species fascinates to the point of absorption. These are legendary, iconic animals whose presence on the planet has always caused us to admire their adaptations and abilities. And to fear their tremendous power, of course.
How has the gene pool of Indian tigers survived the excesses of human over-population and hunting over the centuries? The answer is in this paper.
When conservation issues are discussed, it's usually the tiger that gets the most attention. This is not helping the conservation of most sub-species, as aspects of its criminal poaching cause further decline.
The Indian tiger is the largest population remaining today. It is in deep trouble, like many others, because genetic isolation is taking place. One ray of hope is some increase in variation, but this could be a fault due to sampling.
Whether mammoth or tiger sub-species, mouse or marsupial, there are many arguments for 'de-extinction, or 'bringing back' species that have slipped through the net of conservationists.
There are spotted leopards and striped tigers in the wild, and there are moggies that match their black, striped, tawny or spotted patterns in your home.
Conservationists are often accused of prioritizing 'cute and cuddly' animals over les glamorous species. For their part, some conservationists argue that harnessing the potential of 'flagship species' such as gorillas, tigers and pandas does far more good than harm. Tackling this issue for 'The Earth Times Asks' series of debates are Helen Buckland and Nathan Yaussy.
Some images of big cats. From the genus Panthera, meaning 'great cats' or those who have the ability to roar. They are the lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar.
The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) could be heading further north. A changing climate is creating conditions that may allow the Asian tiger mosquito to spread into northern Europe. The invasive mosquito species is associated with transmitting various infectious diseases.
Conservation volunteers have cleared 162 illegal wire snare traps left by poachers in northeast China, which are a danger to rare Amur tigers.
Eyes of the Forest and WWF-Indonesia reports Asia Pulp & Paper's participation in greenwashing the clear-cutting of Indonesian protected forests.
Five rare cat species have been pictured in a threatened forest in Sumatra and WWF-Indonesia is urging for it to be protected. Sumatran tigers, marble cats, golden cats, clouded leopards and leopard cats have been pictured on the island of Sumatra.
Observant scientists have discovered a rare example of animal hybrid speciation, in the forests of the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States. The creature in question, the Appalachian tiger swallowtail butterfly (Papilio appalachiensis), is the genetically unique result of the union of two related butterflies.
A British environmental charity says that China's regulated trade in legal big cat skins provides the perfect cover for those engaged in dirtier practices. The EIA has written to the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao to urge action to match pledges made on tiger conservation.
It comes to something for a species when the death of a single animal can represent a disaster - but that's what has happed in Indonesia. The concern about the recent death of the Sumatran Tiger indicates wider concerns for a species that is now down to just 400 in the wild.
The 'apex consumers' of the living world - the lions and tigers and bears, not to mention whales - play an often overlooked role in shaping the ecosystem they sit at the top of. A new review in Science out today, from 24 ecologists, points to the dramatic effects that the weakening of those at the top of the food chain can have - and calls for a new approach that values the conservation of the 'kings of the hill'.
Greenpeace have conducted a campaign blitz to highlight toy-industry culpability in sourcing packaging from Indonesian rainforest timber. Ken look-a-likes have abseiled down Mattel, the HQ of the Barbie manufacturers, in a public bust-up with Barbie over the fate of the rainforests. Will it be happily-ever-after for Ken, Barbie and the Sumatran tiger?
Tools helping to map the tiger's habitat and protect numbers. Project Tiger is run by Indian wildlife and forest management officials. Its aim to produce a 'tiger atlas' alongside a 'tiger habitat population evaluation system'.
A dog has taken on nursing duties for two liger cubs - offspring of a male lion and a female tiger -- according to a report from China Central Television.
Species with low populations can still be saved. These species, such as the Siberian tiger and mountain gorilla, were thought by some scientists to be 'too rare to save'. Some of the world's most endangered species exist in populations far smaller than previous studies had argued were necessary for survival.
Two Sumatran tiger families caught on camera. Camera traps captured images and footage of 12 Sumatran tigers, including two females with cubs, in the Bukit Tigapuluh forests. This is a great boost for tiger conservationists as there are thought to be only 400 of the Critically Endangered Sumatran tigers remaining in the wild
The Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, really was more like a solitary stalking tiger than a wolf, says a study into the bones of this extinct marsupial in the latest Biology Letters. That means it wasn't a direct competitor with the introduced dingo - raising questions about exactly how this top predator met its untimely demise in mainland Australia.
Kazakhstan government announces programme to reintroduce tigers. In an unexpected announcement, WWF-Russia and the Kazakhstan government have initiated a programme to reintroduce tigers to Central Asia. The Kazakhstan government has taken steps to deal with poaching and habitat loss, the two biggest threats to the tiger reintroduction programme.
According to a new official census released in Delhi today, the tiger population in India has increased to 1,706 - up from 1,114 in 2008. The report was published during the International Conference on Tiger Conservation (ICTC) taking place in Delhi this week, and the purported figures suggest that numbers may have risen for the first time in a decade.
Happy Birthday WWF! This year marks a momentous anniversary for WWF - 50 years of environmental conservation. Over the past 50 years, WWF has had many notable achievements. In the 1970s, Operation Tiger was launched - the first ever global campaign to save a species across its range. In the 1980s WWF, in conjunction with Save the Whales, successfully campaigned for a moratorium on commercial whaling. Filed in environmental issues: WWF/conservation.
The critically endangered Siberian tiger has an effective population of just 14 animals - that's the worrying conclusion of a recent study into these stunning cats. The Siberian tiger, also known as the Amur tiger, is the world's largest cat. Previously it ranged far across northern China, Korea and south eastern Russia. In the early 20th Century the Siberian tiger was driven close to extinction through poaching and habitat loss and was wiped out from 90% of its once large range.
Concerted efforts to develop joined up tiger reserves could triple tiger numbers in Asia. In November 2010, the heads of government of the 13 tiger range countries signed the St Petersburg declaration promising to double the world's population of wild tigers by 2020. An international team of scientists led by Dr Eric Dinerstein of chief scientist at WWF in the United States set out to discover whether this was even possible.
The first large-scale study of bumblebee populations across the US has delivered some alarming results, with numbers and genetic diversity rapidly declining. The humble bumblebee may not generate the same number of column inches as the polar bear or the tiger, but its plight is arguably just as alarming.
Tigers are back in the news, and for once its good news. A survey of the Sumatran tiger population reveals that numbers are healthy with tigers found from sea level to 3200 metres (10,500 feet). This may be the second largest population after India.
Animals such as polar bears and tigers will be worst-hit by the environmental changes caused by habitat destruction, new research warns. Arguing that their findings could have important implications for global efforts to protect larger predatory animals, the likes of the polar bear and the tiger could be hit the hardest by ongoing changes to the Earth's climate.
A new report from the Rainforest Action Network lists publishers who are taking action against deforestation in Indonesia, and recommends avoiding those who do not. According to the RAN report, US publishers are using paper sourced from controversial suppliers. Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), owned by Sinar Mas Group, was criticised in 2008 for logging operations that threatened the rare Sumatran tiger
At this week's International Tiger Forum in Saint Petersburg an important alliance was formed that will help not just tigers but a range of endangered species across the globe. A Letter of Understanding signed at the Forum brings into effect the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC).
Big cats are killed for skins, paws, heads and other body parts. Black markets along Myanmar, Thailand and China's shared borders play a crucial role facilitating the deadly illicit trade in tigers and other endangered species.
More than 1000 tigers have been reduced to skin and bone in continued illegal trade over the last decade according to Traffic, the wildlife trade monitoring organisation. Their report was released on the eve of a tiger summit to be hosted by Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg next week which will be attended by representatives from all tiger range countries.
We present some business ideas for those of you who think that the future is greener than the present- we can think of some who don't ---. The advice is general and does not apply exclusively to any one nation.
We use the tiger (this is a prime Siberian example) to show up our failure to conserve wild species, but while we monopolise all the food that animals require, we could remember that it is not only their conservation we urgently need to cover. It is also our own indulgences.
How can you describe the threats existing to species, both large and small? Using the highly-threatened primates, we can perhaps see how they have contrived to exist until the current time. Then we can better understand just how we can prevent factors simply wiping them from the face of the earth, often through ignorance, lack of care, prejudice and of course the universal profit motive. Conservation begins in our minds, but demands much more than that.
The future is certainly renewable, but are we too late to prevent future centuries problems of global warming- and the rest! Here are some current US solutions to waste and warming for you to enjoy---there are some ads in this piece but weve allowed them for one blog only.
Need to save money after the spending boom to end them all? Here are 2 sets of opinions on how to pull out the plugs at night at least.
When dolphins are 'rescued' in various countries, the car given seems to be ill-considered. We are simply looking at the success rate which is reported to be low, in most places. They could even end up in commercial aquarium shows, but they certainly rarely make it back to the sea.
