Just over 100 years ago, there were as many as 100,000 wild tigers living in Asia. Today, fewer than 3,200 remain. Accredited zoos across North America are working to raise awareness about wild tigers and funding for their survival. The Tiger Conservation Campaign is coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Tiger Species Survival Plan (SSP).
Here at the Cincinnati Zoo, we participate in the Malayan Tiger SSP. Our Curator of Mammals, Mike Dulaney, acts as the Coordinator for the program. The Malayan tiger is one of six living subspecies of tiger. Recent camera trap surveys throughout the tropical forests of peninsular Malaysia indicate that fewer than 500 Malayan tigers remain. The protected areas in this region can likely support more tigers if poaching of tigers and their prey can be halted.
To this end, the Zoo supports the efforts of Panthera’s Tigers Forever program. The goal of Tigers Forever, initiated in 2006, is to increase tiger numbers by at least 50% at key sites in India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and Nepal over 10 years. Employing well-trained park guards, the program guards tigers and their prey against poaching in protected areas.
The program also keeps tabs on tigers and their prey using field cameras. Developed by Panthera, the PantheraCam uses real-time surveillance technology to monitor remote areas. The system not only catches wildlife on camera; it also captures poachers. In fact, three poachers were recently arrested in India after being photographed by a PantheraCam. Check out this video from Panthera that strings together camera trap photos of wild tigers in India.
Eight years into the program, the longest running Tigers Forever site in Malaysia is now showing a stable tiger population, where security efforts are being scaled up to continue to protect this critical population. Yet there is much more work to be done.
When you come visit our Malayan tigers, Taj and Who-dey, know that you are also helping to support the conservation of tigers in the wild!
