Tiger (Panthera tigris)
Status: Endangered to Critically Endangered

The Tiger is the largest species of Asian big cat, native to temperate and tropical forests across the continent. Poaching to supply demand for their skin, bones and organs has pushed the five remaining Tiger sub-species dangerously close to extinction. An iconic symbol of the wild, tigers help maintain the balance of prey species in forests and grasslands.

In the past 60 years, 3 of 8 tiger subspecies have become extinct. The South China tiger, estimated at 4,000 in the wild 40 years ago, declined to a mere 20 animals by 2005 and, according to recent surveys, may have already become the 4th subspecies to disappear. Remaining tiger populations across their range have declined by an estimated 40% in the last 10 years and continue to fall. Tigers are a critically endangered species and it is illegal to trade tigers and their parts.

Due to the cost of raising tigers in captivity, "tiger farms" (which exist in some countries and attempt to legitimize the slaughter and sale of tigers) do not provide protection for tigers in the wild. In fact, these "farms" can lead to more poaching of wild tigers by establishing a market for their parts. It will always be more profitable to poach a tiger from the wild than to raise one in a farm.

Help save threatened species: