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The Sumatran Tigers are the smallest of the nine remaining subspecies of tigers. They have lived in Sumatra for over 1 million years. Sumatran Tigers are endangered due to deforestation and poaching. |
- The population of the Sumatran Tigers has decreased significantly and is estimated to range between only 400-500 individuals. They are now considered to be very close to disappearing forever.
- Sumatran tigers have always lived on the island of Sumatra, in Indonesia. This has given researchers like the Sumatran Tiger Project Team an opportunity to study the Sumatran tigers. As a result of the important data that the Sumatran Tiger Project team has received, we can better understand all of the surviving subspecies. Their data can enable us to find new ways to protect these tiger species.
.More Concerns/Some Proposed Solutions:
Not only are Sumatran tigers facing deforestation and habitat loss but they are also victims of poaching, which is unauthorized hunting. Local people use their pelts, and body parts to create medicines as a source of income. Fortunately, Zoo's have tried to control the situation by housing the tigers in safer habitats. Most of the Zoos participate in global conservation breeding programs. More than half of the remaining Sumatran tigers are involved in these breeding programs. Some Sumatran tigers have been spared so that their genes may be used to maintain breeding programs for the Sumatran tiger subspecies.