ON THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION - A - THE TIGER (Panthera tigris)

[peter]

TIGERLUVER

Three very interesting posts about climate, vegetation and living conditions in northeastern China and Primorye in the Holocene. Many thanks on behalf of all interested in wild Amur tigers.  

The information you posted suggests tigers entered this region less than 10,000 years ago. Some think they entered from the west, whereas others think they entered from the south and spread to the Altai Mountains and the Caspian region later. What are your thoughts? 

All authors of the books I read wrote about the outspoken differences between the seasons in this region. V.K. Arseniev ('Dersu the trapper', 1941, 1996) more than once saw valleys in which almost all trees had been flattened by violent storms. The climate seems to be far from stable. Are the frequent and sudden weather changes a result of the climate or are they a result of climate change? And what about the forests? Are they on their way out or is the opposite true? 

As a result of the conservation policy of the Russians and the Chinese, the conditions in the Russian Far East and northeastern China are improving. The number of herbivores is growing and tigers are responding. In a few decades from today, this region could accomodate as much as 1,000 adult tigers. In spite of the large number of herbivores, tigers hunt both Himalayan black bears and Ussuri brown bears (almost) up to their own size, especially in summer and autumn. This although bears can be dangerous for adult tigers. Any ideas as to the possible reason(s)? 

Last question. Reliable information collected between 1850-1950 and recent information suggests wild Indian tigers, and those living in the northern and northeastern part in particular, seem to be heavier than wild Amur tigers. Recent information from the northern part of Primorye and northeastern China, however, suggest wild male Amur tigers exceed 250 kg (552 pounds) more often than was assumed. Did Amur tigers respond to better conditions, or did biologists underestimate the average size of Amur tigers in the recent past (referring to the overview of hunting records of Slaght et al. and the table published in 2005)? 

At the level of averages, captive Amur tigers (referring to the tables recently posted in the tiger extinction thread) seem to be the largest subspecies by a margin. Skulls of both captive and wild Amur tigers (Mazak, 1967, 1983) also are larger (longer) than those of other subspecies. 

It would be appreciated if you could post a copy of this post and your reply in the tiger extinction thread. Reply