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

[GrizzlyClaws]

(10-17-2022, 11:20 PM)Matias Wrote: @GrizzlyClaws 

The problem is precisely where this study was carried out. Harbin… any other commercial enterprise with tigers in China has no practical conservation aspect. On the day that China has an authentic enterprise along the lines of private initiative in South Africa with Lions, through its Game Reserves, such as: Madikwe, Welgevonden, Phinda… or even more naturally composed as Bubye Valley Conservancy (Zimbabwe); we could begin, with some caution, to mirror these tigers on other free-living ones. With minority exceptions, we would not see specimens heavier than 240/250 kg (the dynamics of predation must make them strong, fast and agile).

This study is good propaganda, parachuted in, to give some new outlet to these multiple ventures which, in the end, all enter the broad market for their parts, helping to perpetuate the demand for tiger products. From this perspective, I could not be touched by the methodology or the results.

The morphology of captive felines cannot be compared to wild specimens. Captive specimens must be viewed in a restricted, way inherent to their life circumstances, and compared only with captive specimens.

Yes, there are specimens of wild tigers that were bigger and heavier than the great average. This point should also be viewed with a good deal of caution, where directing that these specimens are more adapted or that they had greater evolutionary success is a point to cannot direct to this understanding, since only those who tread the earth and develop field studies, following these tigers for years (radiocollared) may suggest these circumstances. Hormonal and glandular problems associated with obesity, sedentary lifestyle, consanguinity and inadequate diet also make up this picture of the extremes of your weight. In those “live animal” feeding shows we have tigers of spectacular sizes and shapes, but calling them “healthy” is a bit much. We can't prove it, but metabolic-accelerating synthetic drugs and other hormone synthesizers is a common practice. “Large specimens are the showcase for Harbin Siberian Tiger Park – a by-product of entertainment ingenuity".

I don't disagree with your point of view... there is no way to trust the authors and the interests that are involved. Invite renowned scientists in the field and let them analyze and disseminate the hematological and biochemical parameters of tigers they freely choose to select in Harbin. Not that this will produce a broad understanding, it will compose a biological picture of what China has been producing in captivity.

The average weight for the male tigers from Harbin breeding center is around 214 kg with the largest specimen over 440 kg.

They are almost identical to the wild Amur tiger and were not gorged for every day, and they usually won't eat for 1 - 2 days per week as their diet plan and were mostly fed with low calorie chicken.

slightly chubby ≠ morbidly obese


Those morbidly obese captive big cats were usually gorged with high calorie beef and were mostly confined in a limited space unlike those Harbin tigers who were routinely strolled in a much larger yard. Reply