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ON THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION - A - THE TIGER (Panthera tigris)
ON THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION - A - THE TIGER (Panthera tigris)
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ON THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION - A - THE TIGER (Panthera tigris)
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 (09-03-2019, 03:10 PM)BorneanTiger Wrote: Thought it's not a pleasant sight to behold, Bahawalpur Zoo in Pakistan has 2 heads of tigers (I assume Bengal tigers) next to a stuffed lion (incorrectly called a 'tiger'), and it appears that the Bengal tiger and Asiatic lion did occur in the area of Bahawalpur in the past, judging from the works of Kinnear (1920) and Nowell and Jackson (1996, referencing Roberts (1977)): Judging from the map of the tiger's distribution by Nowell and Jackson (1996), these would have been Bengal tigers, even though the range of the Caspian tiger (which occurred in Afghanistan and Central Asia as recently as 1998) wasn't very far away:  (09-03-2019, 05:52 PM)Lycaon Wrote: @BorneanTiger No. So far, the only photos I know of are from eastern Anatolia (Turkey), Iran, the Caucasus (including one Iranian tiger), and what used to be the Soviet part of Central Asia, not Afghanistan, Iraq or western China. (09-03-2019, 10:37 PM)Lycaon Wrote: @BorneanTiger Apart from ancient mosaics or other pictures, like one from Palmyra in Syria, which I would post in this thread.
2 tiger cubs, among others, got rescued from an illegal trafficker in my country: https://wildfact.com/forum/topic-bigcats...5#pid90615
(06-24-2019, 04:53 PM)Shadow Wrote: In latest discussion about subspecies it is good to remember, that legit biologists, zoologists and scientists are having there disagreements. So it would be surprising, if there wouldn´t be disagreements among people who are very interested about wildlife. That´s why it is good to remember, that if professionals can´t find a clear agreement, it can´t be expected here. So writing something like "that logic is absolutely wrong" is very strong statement and rises up question, that with what competence such statement is made? Especially when situation is like that. I have made this new thread to list the genetic / taxonomic 'headaches' for the Cat Specialist Group, including part of the background of Shu-Jin Luo, the Chinese geneticist who realised that Malayan tigers were genetically different to northern Indochinese tigers, and that Caspian and Siberian tigers were genetically close, and 'rebelled' against the CSG's decision in 2017 to recognise only 2 subspecies of tigers, by contributing to that study which was published in 2018, to show that there are indeed 6 living subspecies of tigers: https://wildfact.com/forum/topic-genetic...5#pid90835 
ON MR. LIMOUZIN'S SKULL AND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SKULLS OF DIFFERENT BIG CAT SPECIES - I
a - Introduction Some weeks ago, in the thread 'Size Comparisons', member 'Luipaard' posted information about a debate on a skull of a big cat shot in India in the early twenties of the last century. The debate in The Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society (JBNHS) attracted some attention. A Mr. Limouzin, who shot the big cat, thought the skull belonged to a very large male leopard. He was supported by Mr. Prater, one of the editors of the JBNHS and an undisputed authority on big cats and skulls. The JBNHS published a photograph taken by Mr. Prater. It showed the skull of the big cat shot by Mr. Limouzin next to the skulls of a male leopard, a male Indian lion and a male Indian tiger. R.I. Pocock, of the British Museum, saw the photograph and quickly concluded it was a tiger skull. Mr. Limouzin and Mr. Prater disagreed. Pocock offered to examine the skull himself. Mr. Limouzin accepted the offer. When he returned to England in 1929, Pocock got the skull. He concluded it was the skull of a young adult tigress. The letter he wrote after examining the skull was published in the JBNHS. Not much later, Mr. Prater responded. In his letter, he explained why he got to his, incorrect, conclusion. b - On the origins of errors A century ago, letters were often used to communicate. It took time to write a long letter, especially if accuracy was needed and drawings and photographs had to be included. It also took time to deliver a letter. Furthermore, magazins were only published once a month. Not seldom, it was less frequent. For this reason, it often took a long time to conclude a discussion. It is, therefore, quite likely that some of those who read Mr. Praters letter on Mr. Limouzin's skull missed the letter of Mr. Pocock published in 1929. Today, as a result of the internet, communication is direct and fast. If you want to find information on a specific topic, a day is needed. At most. That, however, doesn't mean you can get to conclusions in a day. In order to get to a conclusion, overview is needed. This means you have to read everything available. Furthermore, one has to remember that experts lost quite a bit of authority over the years. This means readers are more or less on their own these days. You have to be well-informed, that is. To be well-informed, however, is far from easy. It takes time to find good information and read all of it. Member 'Luipaard' knew about Mr. Limouzin's skull, but didn't know about Pocock's letter published in the JBNHS. Same for the one who informed him. A pity, as he seems to be an authority on leopard skulls. The result is both, until recently, thought Mr. Limouzin had shot a leopard. (09-18-2019, 06:57 PM)peter Wrote: ON MR. LIMOUZIN'S SKULL AND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SKULLS OF DIFFERENT BIG CAT SPECIES - I Obviously, if the big cat was a black tigress, then it's easy to see why Mr Limouzin and another person mistook it for a large leopard, either when it was alive, or when its skin was still present post-mortem, before it could totally disappear as the carcass decomposed, because melanism would be more common in leopards than tigers, and so if you see a black tigress in a glimpse or from a distance, then you might get the impression that it's a large black leopard. It was only after Pocock did an analysis of the skull, by which time the fur would have gone, that it was suspected to be a tigress rather than a leopard. As mentioned by @  *This image is copyright of its original author
BORNEAN TIGER
Comment and scan of Mr. Prater's letter published in the JBNHS appreciated. As to the points made. Black tigers White tigers have been shot in some parts in India, but reports about black tigers are few and far between. The information I found suggest both white and black tigers have been seen in a few regions only. It can't be excluded that the tigress shot by Mr. Limouzin had enlarged and very dark stripes, but those who found her remains a few days after the event, skinwise, didn't see anything out of the ordinary. The impression of Mr. Limouzin could have been a result of the circumstances. The tigress was shot just before dark. Those who hunted wild big cats often wrote about the, misleading, effects of fading light. Also remember Mr. Limouzin had seen a large male leopard close to the spot where the tigress was shot. Big cat skulls Although skulls of different big cat species, apart from differences in size, may seem similar to most, others have a different opinion. Those who measured hundreds agree there are distinct, and quite consistent, differences between skulls of wild lions, tigers, jaguars and leopards. These differences often stand out when skulls are similar in size. In skulls of captive big cats, things are more complicated. Compared to skulls of their wild relatives, they're not as elevated at the orbit. Not seldom, they're significantly wider at the arches. Skulls of captive big cats often are asymmetrical. They also often have superfluous bone growths. Not seldom, the occiput is affected. I could continue for some time. I could also say captivity has a profound impact on big cats and be close. To a degree, species-related characters often evaporate. The skull of Mr. Limouzin, however, belonged to a wild tigress. The photograph published in the JBNHS is as clear as it gets. Follow-up The post on Mr. Limouzin's skull you responded to is an introduction to a new series on the differences between skulls of different big cat species. I'll post new tables with measurements (originals for Wildfact) and will add photographs when I'm ready. 
An amazing read regarding the historic ranges of the lion and tiger. I have attached the paper but here is the abstract:
Chronological distribution of the tiger Panthera tigris and the Asiatic lion Panthera leo persica in their common range in Asia "Abstract Highly mobile creatures with remarkable exploratory behaviour, the modern tiger Panthera tigris and the modern Asiatic lion Panthera leo persica colonised Eurasia during the Late Pleistocene (from 126000 ± 5000 to 11700 years before present, BP) and the Holocene (from 11700 BP to the present day). Their respective ranges have overlapped several times but we tend to ignore the extent to which they have really coexisted because this situation has not occurred in recent times. We provide a state‐of‐the‐art review of all the data covering their chronological distribution, in order to evaluate the extent to which they have coexisted. We include new data from petroglyph analysis in Central Asia. The data set covers two major biogeographical regions: the Palearctic Biogeographic Realm (western Asia and Central Asia) and the Indo‐Malaysian Biogeographic Realm in Monsoon Asia. Lions and tigers shared space with a large variety of medium‐sized carnivores. We can hypothesise that, due to the plentiful prey and the diversity in habitats within their common range, they lived in sympatry there during the Holocene (although in local allopatry), as long as human interference was low. The Indo‐Malaysian Biogeographic Realm offered the best habitats for coexistence due to the tropical climate, the variety of habitats, and the great diversity in prey. In temperate Asia, the carrying capacity was naturally lower due to cold winters and dry summers, except along the coasts. Suitable habitats were limited, in Central Asia, to the tugais of the alluvial valleys and the adjacent steppes. In this region, lions were particularly sensitive to stresses, due to their low adaptability to harsh winters, the long distance to their main population sources, and the likelihood that they were pushed into the steppes by tigers, where they were killed by humans, for symbolic or pragmatic reasons." I strongly recommend all to read the full paper, it is filled with historic records of both species in Asia. (09-22-2019, 08:59 AM)tigerluver Wrote: An amazing read regarding the historic ranges of the lion and tiger. I have attached the paper but here is the abstract: As far as I know, it's the first time human artefacts have been used, in this degree, to get to an idea about the distribution of big cats in western, central and southern Asia in the Mid-Late Holocene. In some respects, the outcome of the review, regarding tigers in western and central parts of Asia, is quite close to what J.F. Brandt ('Untersuchungen über die Verbreitung des Tigers Felis Tigris und seine Beziehungen zur Menschheit', 1856) found over 150 years ago. A pity recent sightings were not discussed, but I agree the evidence is a bit thin in nearly all cases. Very interesting read. Many thanks for the link.
SUMATRA
The Dutch, as you most probably know, have been in Indonesia for quite some time. I grew up in a period in which those who had been employed in Indonesia had to return to the Netherlands. Most of them had never been in Europe. Adapting wasn't easy. Insulinde was in their heart all the time. I know, because I knew some who had returned. They were my neighbours and told me about Java, Borneo, Celebes, Sumatra, New Guinea and many other islands. They showed me photographs of animals I never heard of and told me about 'were-tigers'. When I got older, I bought books written by hunters and naturalists. Sumatra in particular got my attention. The descriptions and the photographs suggested it must have been a kind of Eden. Those who knew the island intimately confirmed it was special. Just over half a century ago, most of Sumatra was covered by forest. In the last decades, the situation rapidly changed. Sumatra was invaded by humans. Most of them were so poor they had no option but to cut the forest in order to grow a few crops. When large firms joined them not much later, destruction was accelerated. You know about the results. I know a few organisations are trying to save what's left. I also know there are laws saying you can't burn the forest and all that. But nobody really cares. The Eden so vividly described by many is all but gone. All quiet on the eastern front then? Not quite. Every now and then, one reads a report about Sumatra, Kalimantan (Borneo) or one of the other islands going up in smoke. When it's real bad, they show you pictures taken by satellites on the news. What you see is smoke and more smoke. In Singapore and the southern part of Malaysia, the young, the old and those struggling with their health suffer. So much so, that schools are closed. This year, it was very bad. In some parts of Indonesia, the smog turned red:  *This image is copyright of its original author Here's a report I found on the site of the Dutch National Broadcasting Company (NOS) a few days ago. It has a telling video and a few photographs. You have to use the translator: https://nos.nl/artikel/2303054-lucht-kleurt-bloedrood-in-indonesie-dit-is-negatief-spectaculair.html A post in the tiger thread and not a word about tigers? Well, not quite. The video is from Jambi, one of the regions that still has a few tigers. Tigers don't live in cities. They live in forests. As the forests in Jambi are burning, chances are the tigers left. 
Posted by WWF Tiger's twitter
 *This image is copyright of its original author
This is the second feature in a three-part series on how China's push to create a network of new national parks is impacting local communities. The series is the product of a monthslong investigation conducted by Sixth Tone in collaboration with its sister publication The Paper. The first feature in the series can be read here.
JILIN, Northeast China — Tigers are costing Zheng Hailun a fortune. The 64-year-old rents acres of pastureland on China’s northeastern border to graze his cattle, but these days he can rarely use it. He keeps his cows locked up for most of the year, spending around $25,000 on extra feed. Zheng is not doing this to protect his animals from big cats; rather, it’s the other way around. He is one of thousands of farmers in northeastern China forced to remove their cattle from the mountains to preserve the habitats of China’s few remaining Siberian tigers. Siberian tigers are native to Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces, which border Russia and North Korea, but the species is critically endangered. Years of human encroachment has divided their hunting grounds and cut them off from tiger populations in the Russian Far East. The Chinese government has stepped up conservation efforts to prevent the extinction of the felines, and in 2016 it announced plans to create a new national park — the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park — covering swathes of Jilin and Heilongjiang. Within months, officials in Zheng’s hometown of Hunchun, which is within the boundaries of the park, banned farmers from grazing cattle on local mountainsides. In 2018, they introduced further rules requiring all cattle to be kept inside cowsheds between April and October each year. Anyone found allowing their animals to graze freely would be fined 500 yuan ($70) per cow. The ban is designed to create more grazing areas for wild red deer and Sika deer — the main prey of Siberian tigers and Amur leopards — as well as prevent herders and cattle from disturbing the cats’ natural sleeping habits. But it has provoked pushback from locals, who say the rules are having a huge impact on their livelihoods. According to Zheng, the extra costs from keeping his animals inside swallow almost all the income he can make from selling cattle. “The main loss is from the feed,” says Zheng. “A cow eats 300 yuan of feed every month, so for 100 cattle that’s 180,000 yuan over six months.” Zheng used to simply ride his motorcycle to the pastures every other day to check on his herd, but he now spends almost all day feeding the cows and mucking out the pen. He has quickly become the busiest person in his village, unable to pursue any side ventures to supplement his income. By the winter of 2018, the financial pressure on Hunchun’s farmers had become so great, many started selling off their animals. Zheng reduced his herd by 30, leaving around 70. He can’t bring himself to sell any more — after all, he has invested nearly 3 million yuan on cattle farming over the years. The herders find it hard to understand why the government has suddenly restricted their industry, despite generously supporting it before. Several have released their cattle back onto the hills. According to Zheng, no one has ever been fined. Gao Dabin, a director at the Hunchun branch of the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Parks Administration, says local officials feel helpless. “Of course this work is harmful to the interests of villagers — the problem has not been thoroughly solved,” says Gao. “It needs to be solved step by step.” But the problems could soon become more severe. In 2018, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration released a plan to roll out further conservation methods inside the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park. It says that free grazing will eventually be restricted on 95% of the land inside the park, affecting more than 60,000 cattle. What’s more, Gao adds, restrictions on other activities will gradually be introduced one after the other — including frog farming, gathering wild vegetables, and mining, among others — all of which will impact the local economy. For the 93,000 people living inside the park, the new rules represent the latest in a series of policies threatening their traditional way of life. Bans on hunting and logging introduced in the ’90s cut off large sources of income, leading many to seek their fortunes in nearby cities or even in South Korea. Of those left behind, those in their 40s are considered young, and most do not even have a junior high school education. Conservation researchers argue that it should be possible for the villagers and tigers to coexist inside the national park if the government creates detailed and focused policy objectives. Jiang Guangshun, deputy director of the Feline Research Center at Northeast Forestry University, says that efforts should concentrate on allowing China’s Siberian tigers to link up with larger cat populations in Russia. “It is very important to open up the international ecological corridor,” says Jiang. Yet government policy documents suggest no such detailed planning is yet in place. Around four-fifths of the land in Hunchun is currently included in the proposed conservation project. If these proposals are implemented, they would severely impact traditional ways of life in the region. A number of researchers have proposed amendments to the zoning plans, reporters have learned, but it is still unclear whether these changes have been put into effect. Zhu Chunquan, China’s representative for the International Union for Conservation of Nature, says the plan needs to be more detailed. “The zoning should be specific to each village and each hill, clarifying which are habitats and ecological corridors,” says Zhu. “It shouldn’t just be a big circle.” “Priority should be given to protecting habitats and diffusion routes that are higher quality,” says Gu Jiayin, one of Jiang’s colleagues at Northeast Forestry University. “Tigers are very smart and will not run to places with poor habitats.” Researchers are keen to begin work on a more detailed protection plan. According to Wu Jingcai, a researcher at the Jilin Forestry Research Institute, there is still a lack of basic knowledge about how human activity impacts wildlife in China. The Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park Administration told reporters that its main priority remains protecting the tigers and leopards’ habitats, and that several policies are still being formulated. But the park plans to support local residents in moving toward more eco-friendly farming methods and opening family guesthouses and other tourist venues. Jiang says that Hunchun may not be able to rely on the mountains as much as before, but cultural tourism and other activities that have less environmental impact than cattle-farming can help make up for this loss of income. His examples include beekeeping, fruit-gathering, and cultural exhibitions highlighting the region’s Korean heritage. “It’s not easy for the community to understand the value of protecting the Siberian tiger, because that means changing their own lives,” says Fan Zhiyong, chief scientist at the World Wide Fund for Nature. “Don’t be too hard on them." http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1004601/ti...-northeast |
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