CAPTIVITY - WORKING AGAINST THE ODDS
. Sumatran Tiger - panthera tigris sumatrae
. Critically Endangered ( population decreasing)
. In 2017 IUCN revised two subspecies recognized
- Panthera tigris sondaica (Javan and Balinese NOW EXTINCT last sighted 1976, Bali even earlier 1940s). Panthera tigris sumatrae.
- Panthea tigris tigris - Bengal (endangered), Malayan (critically endangered), Indochinese (endangered/ critically endangered 2008 - considered extinct in Cambodia), South Chinese (critically endangered/ functionally extinct), Siberian (endangered), Caspian tiger (extinct early 1970s) populations.
Only the Sumatran tigers remain in Indonesia.
This tiger subspecies is found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra with less than 400 Sumatran tigers existing today in the wild with sub populations no larger than 50 individuals. Experts estimated in 1978 that the population was 1,000. The island of Sumatra is the only place where tigers, rhinos, orangutans and elephants live together. So the tiger is an important indicator of the forest's bio-diversity.
Sumatran tigers are the smallest surviving subspecies and distinguished by striking orange fur with stripes that are narrower than other species and have larger manes and slightly webbed feet which allow them to swim more efficiently. They generally hunt at dusk and can travel up to 20km in one night in search of food. They depend on camouflage to ambush their prey. The tiger's roar can be heard up to 3km away and they can swim up to 6km and jump over 5 meters in length.
Weight: Females up to 90kg Males up to 120kg
Life Span: in the wild 10 -15 years
in captivity 16 - 20 years
Size: 1.4 to 2.8 meters
Top Speed: 96km
Prey: wild pig, deer and other small animals
Habitat: tropical broadleaf evergreen forests, fresh water swamp forests and peat swamps.
Gestation period: 3 - 4 months up to 5 cubs which weigh about 1kg at birth and are blind and helpless, they are raised by their mother until about 18 months old.
Solitary
Poached: for skin, bones, canines, for status symbols and traditional Eastern medicines.
Cause of Decline: Poaching, habitat loss - oil palm, coffee, acacia plantations, small holder encroachment.
There remains a substantial market in Sumatra and the rest of Asia for tiger parts and products with no sign of decreasing. Accelerated deforestation and rainforest poaching mean that the Sumatran tiger could become extinct like the Javan and Balinese tigers.
Because of hunting, poaching and the loss of habitat, zoos and wildlife reserves play a vital role for the tiger's survival by captive breeding programs. Most tigers of Sumatra are killed for commercial gain. According to 'TRAFFIC' (the global wildlife trade monitoring network) poaching for trade is responsible for over 78% of estimated Sumatran tiger deaths - amounting to at least 40 animals per year.
One argument put forward is that captive breeding programs are doomed to failure and saving the animal's natural habitat is the solution. That genetic diversity of 90% over 100 years is not going to be maintainable. (measurement used to assess if a program is workable).
Zoo programs inspire people to contribute to conservation programs in the wild and bring awareness to their plight. Zoos contribute huge amounts of money to tiger conservation and habitat preservation and conservation programs in the field. But environmental destruction and poachers leave very little suitable habitat for released tigers at the moment.
FFI is conserving tigers and other threatened wildlife in three Sumatran landscapes - Ache, Riau, Kerina Seblat National Park these contain more than 60% of wild Sumatran tigers.
Kerina Seblat National Park was one of the few protected areas where, park wide tiger records stabilized during 2007 - 2011 and began to increase. Sadly in 2013 - 2015 because of illegal wildlife trade syndicates there was a decline. This has been targeted by intelligence led law enforcement, leading to hope of recovery. Since Jan 2016, 15 tiger poachers and traders have been arrested and prosecuted and jailed.
SOME GROUPS WORKING FOR SURVIVAL OF THE SUMATRAN TIGER
Australia Zoo - Wildlife Warriors
DWF Dreamworld Wildlife Foundation
Taronga Conservation Society Australia
IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature
WWF World Wildlife Org & * WWF Australia
FFI Fauna and Flora International
Tiger GSC Global Conservation Strategies
Extinction of Animals
More than 99% of all species, over 5 billion species that ever lived on earth are estimated to have died out. Current estimates range from 10 million to 14 million of which 1.2 million have been documented and over 88% have not yet been described.
* Australia has already lost more mammal species in the last 200 years than any other country in the world combined. Koalas are declining at the rate of 21% per decade - WWF Australia.