| Scientific
Name: Panthera tigris altaica
Size: 1 metre at shoulder
Weight: 300 kgs
IUCN Endangered Species:
Critically Endangered
Estimated Wild Population: Less
than 500
Distribution: China, North
Korea, Eastern Russia
Description: Although
all today’s tigers belong to the same species, there are 5 subspecies,
of which the Amur, or Siberian, is the largest.
the Amur tiger has reached its present situation for many
different reasons. These
include poaching for skins and bones, persecution by livestock owners,
habitat loss and the use of body parts in traditional medicines and
remedies. Prey species have
also been drastically reduced by over hunting and poaching.
Without a reliable source of food, tigers must rely on livestock
in order to survive. It
lives in a very remote area and conservation is difficult to manage
where few resources and funds are made available.
Poachers are not heavily punished and officials often turn a
blind eye to a ‘crime’ they do not consider very serious.
As the numbers continue to decrease, prompt action is necessary
to ensure its survival.
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