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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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SUMATRA - II
a - Forest fires Forest fires are not uncommon in Sumatra. In the last two decades, the fires got larger and larger. The smog even affected people living in the southern part of Malaysia and Singapore. In 2015, the forest fires made headlines all over the globe. In that year, a team of experts from King's College (London) flew to Sumatra. This year, they returned. According to researcher Martin Wooster, the pollution is unprecedented. It is estimated that 36 000 people perish as a result of the fires every year. b - Effects The fires are exceptional. The photograph in post 2,339 of this thread is telling. Here's a recent report I found on the site of the NOS (Dutch National Broadcasting Company). The report has a video: https://nos.nl/artikel/2303479-martin-doet-onderzoek-naar-branden-indonesie-de-waardes-die-we-meten-zijn-extreem.html Most fires are started by locals. According to the report, they're paid by big firms. Some parts of Sumatra are more affected by others. This year, Jambi in particular was targeted. Although there's no information about the effects of the fires on wild animals, it's very likely they are suffering more than humans. The reason is they're living very close to the fires. c - Tiger distribution Here's a recent map showing the distribution of tigers:  *This image is copyright of its original author d - Vegetation (Jambi is inside the black line):  *This image is copyright of its original author e - Research https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/2/4/e1501675.full f - The beauty of what's all but gone  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
 (10-03-2019, 04:24 AM)peter Wrote: c - Tiger distribution They've a really impressive tiger distribution though... Almost all of their remaining forest cover. Best in the world i think. India in comparison.  *This image is copyright of its original author
 (10-03-2019, 04:24 AM)peter Wrote: SUMATRA - II When will these locals who start the fires at the behest of big firms wake up (and probably I could say the same for South Americans who do the same thing, considering the fires there, though thankfully, the South American fires seem to be dropping)? They are making fires which put their health and lives, other creatures and their environment at risk, at the behest of greedy companies? In that case, I wouldn't feel sorry for those firms if a new global recession or financial crisis brings them to their knees.
Shadow #2,075
Sorry for late, I just discovered your response. That guy name William Rice. He clearly didn't mentioned tiger he saw was a male tiger or female tiger. So it is impossible to know. How do you know if it was the male tiger was killed by pack of dholes by just reading it (especially for him if he just watched tiger was running away or killed by pack of dholes from far)? We (in your case) only can assume that it was a male tiger. I don't believe tiger he saw was the healthy prime adult male tiger since I heard from my colleague that one single lioness can destroy pack of African wild dogs. And I’ve seen descent videos of 10-20 hyenas were just running away whenever male lion was charging against them. No documentary, random videos upload by people who traveled Africa. Male tigers are the ultimate living Pantherinae, more powerful and stronger than any lions and jaguars. How would male tigers become piece of cakes by dholes every time when they clash? Obviously, different outcome can happen. Male tiger can die by pack of dholes. When old record are saying like “dholes killed tigers,” and If anyone who claimed from 100 years ago are not mentioning gender of tigers. Then I am going to believe his observation as sick or unhealthy or old tiger if it was a male tiger, or just a female tiger.
BorneanTiger #2,270
Same for you, I just read your response. Unless if we are referring the entire southern clade (Bengal tiger, Indochinese tiger, Malayan tiger, and Chinese tiger living in southern Chinese provinces) as single subspecies. I don't believe in logic on the Siberian tiger and Caspian tiger needs to be 1 single subspecies. If it is yes on southern tiger and northern tiger, then I also agree with what you said. I am not going to rewrite here since it is time consuming. Doesn’t matter if tigers develop different morphologies by adapting variety environments in different habitats. It is absolutely impossible to declare tiger (or any animals) lived in far distance of between southern Korea to Caucasus mountains are the same if we use belief on 9 tiger subspecies. If you studied genetic and genomic, then I am sure you would know.
#2,342
Excellent info Peter! However, I am dubious about Sumatran tiger's future unless Indonesia give up with their islam belief (unless they are going to stop having many kids while they are believing islam, but their educations are poor. They would never listen) and start understanding how much they should control for using palm oil. I worked with professor and museum curator who were in project to discover new species in Sumatra and Java. They are very negative on future of Indonesia. So does my friend working on Sumatran tigers. Number of humans are keep increasing in limited island. Would they survive? I highly doubt so. Southeast Asia could have been more amazing place than India after I heard salty croc story from my friend studied about it in Sumatra. I found something surprised that as country putting religion in politics (Ben Carson of the USA is example), it's getting worse as well. Indonesia and Malaysia are one of the most disturbing places to study wild animals for foreigners whenever they ask permission to go study animals. One good thing of these countries are they are not using traditional medicine compared to Vietnam, China, and Laos. However, Chinese/Vietnamese descents of these countries are problem. When locals hunted down the wild animals, then they sell it to chinese living in those countries. However, the most problems are poverty and overpopulation. Just look all of snares are killing every living creatures in forests of Southeast Asia. What a sad reality after colonization by france, british, and japanese. (10-06-2019, 09:51 AM)Greatearth Wrote: #2,342 ... If there's an issue with child birth, then it's across the Third World, be it in Asia or Africa, regardless of what the state's ideology is, but even then, it's not like none of them do anything about wildlife, considering that for instance, Malaysia is taking action to protect its endangered tigers, and that a number of countries in Africa (which besides Oceania is driving up the global birth rate, even though that is cooling in general), still manage to protect their wildlife, even though there are hiccups here and there like with Botswana's policy on elephants, and the fact that many people in China are responsible for the illegal trade in wildlife just shows how religion or a lack of it isn't actually responsible for that depressing situation. (10-06-2019, 09:44 AM)Greatearth Wrote: BorneanTiger #2,270 In that case, why should we treat Caucasian tigers as the same subspecies as the "Balkhash tiger" (Panthera tigris trabata) of Central Asia? If Siberian and Central Asian tigers are distinct geographically and environmentally, then so are say Central Asian and Caucasian tigers, they just happen to be called "Caspian tigers" by humans, because they were in the vicinity of the Caspian Sea, in the same way that Central Asian and Siberian tigers used to be in the vicinity of Lake Baikal, yet interestingly, though I don't think that they used the name "Baikal tiger" for tigers living in the vicinity of that lake, the twist is that it is the Central Asian tiger that lived in the area of the Altai Mountains, but it's the Amur tiger that's called "Panthera tigris altaica"! (10-06-2019, 09:51 AM)Greatearth Wrote: Excellent info Peter! However, I am dubious about Sumatran tiger's future unless Indonesia give up with their islam belief (unless they are going to stop having many kids while they are believing islam, but their educations are poor. They would never listen) and start understanding how much they should control for using palm oil. !!!!! This is quite the misconception still prevalent in the west... The one & only thing fertility-rate (number of issues per couple/2) depends on, is progress & awareness (education). Nothing else.  *This image is copyright of its original author That is the fertility rate of India in last two decades, what do you think has changed between the two? Which factor is the most responsible for this change?  *This image is copyright of its original author Today India's population-boom is spearheaded by the Hindu communities in the backward areas of rural North-Central India, mostly Christian tribals in the Northeast & Muslims refugees. The average is to go below 2.0 in 2020, folowing which it can be expected to stabilise & start reducing in another decade or two. Let's say that happens... Will India's wildlife & nature be any safer? Why isn't Southeast Asia's wildlife status far ahead of ours then? They have 1/10th our population density! Forget that, even within India the regions doing worst in the conservation front are the least populated & remotest areas of India, which also happens to be the most neglected & underdeveloped. Nature & wildlife on those places have been decimated to the level compared to the degradation in South China or Indochina.  *This image is copyright of its original author Only thing here making the difference is political will & public opinion. Nothing else. Authoritiess have to actually envision master-plans & expend money on it. It takes a lot of effort to achieve the proper maintenance & management equilibrium. People are not going to suffer the slightest inconvenience unless the law forces them to & they are reimbursed for their troubles, even if they know or understand reasons. But a ruling (democratic) govt won't risk losing votes by making them do so, unless people are enlightened enough to want it to... It's like a dog chasing it's tail. Otherwise greed & ego always takes precedence, be it China or Iran, thus they'll continue ruining their own country by replacing forests with palm plantations & call it economic-growth. The only conversion needed here is from conflict into compromise... now that Bangladesh & Malayasia have finally awakened from their slumber & showing good economic growth, keep observing. 
BorneanTiger
I hope you aren't insulting. If you do, then nice try with attacking. Did you read my previous post long time ago? I am not Chinese. After I read what you wrote since last year, you have ABSOLUTELY NO knowledge in any conservation. I know you never worked on big cats or any animals before, just obtaining information in internet and old books that you can find in internet. You don't really have time to writing many posts in wildfact if you are doing any research on any animals. You don't know what you are talking about. I am sure you don't know and never spoke to any of top conservationists/biologists working on big cats. I am only going to answer few things from your posts. You are right that religion never caused problem 100 years ago. Situations have changed now due to expanding knowledge on microbiology, biochemistry, medicine, medical, genetic, and many science and technology. All of dangerous things such as small pox and other deadly diseases controlling human populations were gone. We don't have problems with food after the agricultural revolution. Child mortality has become low unlike the past (many poor countries still have so many poverty and child mortality). All of these things have changed, and it's problem now. Religions are causing a lot of problems if you are ever involving in conservation. My most respected professors who used to watch all of animals in central america in the 1950-1960s. He actually watched that all of forests that he used to see all of endangered animals today in central america were disappeared due to expanding human population growth in central america (birth control is strongly against in catholic). A few older retired African conservationists I met who grew up (1950-1970s) with all of giraffe, elephant, wildebeest, cheetah, antelope, leopard, and many other animals were gone in Africa as well due to human population growth and poverty in Africa (the most of African believing christian and islam generally having more kids as well). All of christian missionaries in Europe and USA tried to convert native Americans/Australians/Oceanians after they colonized, bullied, genocid them. It is the past. However, this is still going on in South America, especially in Amazon rainforest. All of native Amazonians were the most important people trying to save the Amazon rainforest. They have their own traditional belief and life comes from thousands years ago. Their lives are changing once christian missionaries changed their lives. These people are normally becoming poachers or involving in crimes or involving in deforest companies after christian missionarires converted them into christian since they didn't received any education. The new president in Brazil who are deeply into catholic, want to clean the Amazon, and get rid off native Amazonians. You speak to many biologists and conservationists working in Amazon, they dislike christian missionaries a lot. John Chau death in the Sentinel island is another example. Religion isn't actually responsible? You proved that you DON'T KNOW ANYTHING about conservation since you NEVER worked in conservation. The elephant in Botswana? You don't even know anyone who's working in elephant conservation or any knowledge on what's going on there. What are you seriously thinking to brought up this topic? I agree with ivory trade in Bostwana. My professor from Africa (he is 3rd generation of portuguese and american descents born/grew up in many different African countries who came to Angola to missionaries) also agreed on ivory trade. The Africans living with elephants have completely different opinion on elpehants. Elephants can be very dangerous, destroy crops, and random negative things to villagers. I even know one graduated students who were killed by elephants after they went Africa to study about them. And I am sure you don't know anyone who's working animals in abroad. The most people in wealthy country don't even know poor people's lives besides conservationists who's living/working animals in Africa/Asia. Poor people generally becoming poachers if they have nothing to earn money. That's why ivory trade can help them to save elephants. Poaching is generally decrease whenever Africa allows trophy hunt and ivory trade. This is even proven as research, but it's getting controversial that tourism can make more money. Of course I hate trophy hunting/ivory trade, but entire country that is doing successful in white rhino conservation is countries that allowed trophy hunting. I wish people just use money to save animals. Unfortunately, the most people are not willing to provide good money to save species if you look hunters in USA and Europe (I know this very well since I know few people who's keeping their trophy animals as specimen and on their wall in their living room). You obviously have no idea on any conservation besides reading stuffs in internet and books. Your country (UAE), and other wealthy arab muslims are the most destructive countries for cheetah extinction in the east of central Africa. I know your country are keeping big cats as pets, but it's hidden in media since USA is getting all of bad image on this. In May 2019, CITES criticized China and your country bought 92 elephants from Zimbabwe for 13,500 to 41,500 dollars each (total 9.2 million dollars), which makes you and your country people are no different than Chinese if I use your logic. Elephants in Zimbabwe already surpassed its carrying capacity. Obviously, I believe Zimbabwe, China, and UAE did the right thing to help elephant conservation instead of wasting so much time and effort to requesting small grant money from Europe or USA to save elephants since I know truth inside of conservation. The problem is how would UAE and China would treat to those elephants, but we are talking about wild elephant conservation in Africa. It was also different story if it was animals like black rhino, pangolin, ...etc. You should rather be grateful to China since China received all of blame instead of your country after CITES criticized about this. Tigers were never ever lived in your country and I don't think you'd ever going to work on tiger anyway. You should rather fix your own country's problem on cheetah smuggling first just like you said "the fact that many people in China are responsible for the illegal trade in wildlife just shows how religion or a lack of it isn't actually responsible for that depressing situation." This will be the last time I am going to answer your replies if you are attacking, because I am not going to argue, insult, or waste my time anymore to person who has absolute no experience/knowledge about conservation. Especially, there is no point of argue. You believe whatever you want.
@
However, agenda driven indoctrination do always have negative effects, whether religious or socio-political & understandably so. I'm not deleting the above post. But I will delete further such replies. 
Telangana witnessing increase in tiger numbers after recent disastrous blow of poaching in the state
 *This image is copyright of its original author Tigers from Maharashtra and Chattisgarh forests are moving towards Kawal Tiger reserve during the breeding season making the population "7" according to forest officials since, 4 years. Officers are maintaining a strict protocol to protect them. Officials have identified two adult tigers in KTR Forest in Kagaznagar and Komarambhem's Asifabad district penchikal peta area. The number of elders who migrated from Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh for the fourth year reached seven. Four years ago, two tigers settled in Kagaznagar and Jannaram areas within the Kawal Tiger Reserve Forest. The forest officials have taken all precautions to prevent damage to their habitat. One tiger gave birth to four cubs. At present, three of them are mature. The same is true for the Indravati Tiger Sanctuary at Dantewada in Chattisgarh on the other side of Pranahita near Dantewada. From the footage recorded in the camera traps, two tigers are reportedly heading towards Pandikalpet and Bejjuru. Same going on for Tadoba and Tipeshawar tigers (Chandrapur and Ballarsha adjacent to Asifabad). Tiger trackers keeping a close look on them to avoid being constantly poached. The forest department is also taking care of the tigers and preventing the natives from getting into the sanctuary. http://www.tnews.media/2019/09/%E0%B0%A4...%E0%B0%A6/  *This image is copyright of its original author A tiger from komarambheem captured by camera from a passenger in a RTC bus on Penchukalpet and Bejjuru road. They were terrified as the tiger obstructed the road and the students took pictures in their mobiles. Government restricted the road from being used since then due to tiger presence. https://manalokam.com/interesting/tiger-...bheem.html National project that gives good results  *This image is copyright of its original author The Adilabad district is known for dense forests. The next thing that comes to mind is the tigers that inhabit here. Once upon a time tigers were numerous. But the number of tigers has decreased over the past few years. Now the situation is improving with the central government taking special measures to protect the tigers. The tiger population in the Adilabad district's forests is increasing day by day. The central government has declared the area as a Tiger Corridor and is working towards protecting the tiger. Palguna, a tiger that came to the forests of Kagaznagar from Maharashtra in 2015, is breeding. Officials say there are 8 tigers in Kagaznagar forests and two tigers in the Forest Division of Manchiryala. Two days ago, forest officials in the Nennela Mandal Bopparam forest spotted a large pug marks. A tiger already settled in the reserve forest few years back. Officials are thinking a new tiger roaming the Boparapam region looking for a mate and this make number reach 11. As this forest is well suited for breeding and survival of tigers, it has been declared by the Union Government as a 'Tiger Corridor'. Central Sponsor's Scheme Project (CSSPT) Team surveyed this area in Summer. According to a report submitted by a five-member team, the central government has declared the Kagaznagar forests as a Tiger corridor. The tigers from Maharashtra have been breeding here. The cubs are recommended to be conserved and sent to Tiger Zone. With the establishment of the Tiger Corridor, authorities are taking measures for free movement of tigers from the Tadoba of Maharashtra to the Kagaznagar forest. A joint effort is being made in the Adilabad district for the development of tigers. The Kawal Tiger Reserve was established on April 12, 2012 with an area of 89,990 hectares. The Tiger Reserve is the 41st tiger reserve in the country and the only tiger reserve in Telangana apart from Andhra and Telanagana's shared NSTR. The central government has heavily funded this. The sanctuary is divided into core and buffer areas and measures are being taken to protect the tigers. Villages under Tiger Zone are being resettled elsewhere. In the forest, the habitat of the tiger was provided with shelter and accommodation. Vehicular traffic is banned from the area overnight. Herbivores are conserved as a prey tigers. It is estimated that 70 to 80 animals are required to sustain a tiger each year. Authorities are keeping their location secret as they are under threat from poachers. Poachers are also plotting different innovative plans. Forest officials are monitoring forest with CC cameras. Previously, a large tiger hunted in the Kotapalli zone through electrocution. The incident took place in Palagampandri area of Pembi section, where a large tiger was killed and cremated for selling its skin in black market. In the reserve forest a tiger is still roaming with a snare stuck to its waist. Attempts by authorities to capture it and remove the trap failed. There are chances that the tiger's health will deteriorate after months of trapping. More than just rejoicing that the number of tigers is increasing, more needs to be done to protect them. http://janamsakshi.org/%E0%B0%AA%E0%B1%8...-%E0%B0%B8 (10-06-2019, 01:45 PM)Greatearth Wrote: BorneanTiger I wasn't attacking or insulting you, just making you aware of things. For instance, didn't you know that in December 2016, the UAE banned wild pets, issuing Federal Law No. 22 imposing fines and jail time on individuals found guilty of owning, buying or selling, or abusing all types of dangerous, wild and exotic animals? https://www.arabianbusiness.com/culture-...f-wildlife The move curbed the open sale of wild animals in the market, but it shifted illegal wildlife sales online, but then, when one trafficker, who illegally housed a white lion cub, 2 tiger cubs and 2 monkeys, tried to sell them online, the police swung into action and saved the animals: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/sharjah...old-online-, https://www.thenational.ae/uae/white-lio...h-1.906321, https://m.dailyhunt.in/news/india/englis...-134666850, https://www.city1016.ae/news/local-news/...n-sharjah/  *This image is copyright of its original author
ON MR. LIMOUZIN'S SKULL AND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SKULLS OF DIFFERENT BIG CAT SPECIES - II (continuation of post 2,334)
c - The editorial of S.H. Prater in the JBNHS of June 1921 S.H. Prater was one of the editors of the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society (JBNHS). Not long before Volume XXVII (No. 4) of the JBNHS was published in July 1921, the Society received a skull and a letter from Mr. Eugene J. Van Ingen of Van Ingen & Van Ingen (taxidermists, Mysore). The letter is interesting: " ... I send herewith the skull and ribs of a Panther (?). As the skull seems abnormally large and more like a tiger's, I should be extremely obliged, if you would examine it and tell me whether it is a tiger's or panther's. I may mention that the owner, Mr. E.E. Limouzin of Dusandli Estate, Ootacamund, declares it to be a Panther's but yet is not quite sure about it. While out shooting he caught a glimpse of the animal, late in the evening about dusk, and wounded and lost it. It was found some days afterwards but by then decomposition had set in and vultures and jackals had destroyed the skin; the skeleton and skull remained together with strips of skin, and Mr. Limouzin examined what he found of the latter carefully and is positive that the animal is a panther. Yet I think the skull seems to be quite out of proportion with the ribs and Mr. L. remarked the same. He tells me that he had seen this panther previously on several occasions, and had examined him through his glasses, and though his head and fore quarters seemed to be extremely large and powerfully built, the body and hind quarters seemed to dwindle away! Before this, in fact almost a year ago, Col. W. told me that he had seen a panther a few miles from Dunsandli, and he described its head, chest and forearms to have been enormous. It was standing on a rock about 20 yards away looking down at him, and Col. W. , who has shot many panthers, claimed it to be the largest he had ever seen. He quite believes this animal of Mr. Limouzin's to be the one seen by him. Another reason Mr. Limouzin gives by which he is positive is that a few minutes previous to coming on to the Panther he heard the unmistakable call of a panther. I much regret that I did not send you one of the claws, nearly all of which Mr. Limouzin recovered. They are quite the size of a large tigress. As regards the skull, in the course of my profession, in the course of my profession I have seen many panther skulls; many of them belonging to animals well over 7 ft., but none anywhere approaching this one in size. Writing later Mr. Limouzin says: " .. By to-day's Mail I have sent the entire skeleton of the panther to your care (with the exception of one rib, smashed to bits by the bullit, and another rib, broken, possibly by the explosion, internally). Before I fired at the panther I was very much struck with the extraordinary size of his head and shoulders, he appeared to be immense, but unfortunately he jumped aside and I was only able to get a 'snapshot' at his side going down hill, from me .. ". After quoting the letter of Mr. Van Ingen, Mr. Prater, on behalf of the editors of the JBNHS, wrote the skull " ... is undoubtedly that of an adult Panther ... ". He compared the measurements of Mr. Limouzin's skull with those of the largest leopard in 'Rowland Ward's' (obtained by Sir E. Loder in Gaboon), 3 leopards shot in India and the largest leopard skull in the collection of the Society. Mr. Prater also referred to the 'points of distinction' between tiger and leopard skulls in Blanford's 'Mammalia': " ... The upper surface of the skull (Panther) is arched as in the Tiger, but the lower jaw is convex beneath, as in the Lion, the cordyle being proportionally nearer even than in the latter. When a Leopard's skull, with the mandible attached, is placed on a flat surface, the hinder part of the skull almost always touches the surface. We publish for comparison a photograph of Mr. Limouzin's panther together with a photo of a tiger's skull and that of the largest Panther skull in the Society's collection. Also a Lion's skull, S.H. Prater Bombay, Natural History Society, June 1921. (JBNHS, Vol. XXVII, No. 4, July 1921, Misc. Notes, No. II - Record panther skull, pp. 933-935) Here's the, quite famous, photograph published in the JBNHS, Vol. XXVII (No. 4, Misc. Notes, No. II.):  *This image is copyright of its original author Below the photograph of the tiger skull, the Society added: Basal Length 14.5''. This is incorrect. It should be 'greatest total length'. The greatest total length of the tiger skull, therefore, was 14.5 x 2,54 = 368,30 mm. d - The opinion of Mr. Eugene J. Van Ingen This post isn't about the conclusion of Mr. S.H. Prater, but the letter of Mr. Eugene J. Van Ingen. The information he provided is detailed, interesting and useful. Mr. Van Ingen, refering to the 'abnormal' size of the skull and the large claws in particular, thought Mr. Limouzin, to keep it short, had shot a tigress, not a leopard. This is important, as he had seen many skulls of tigers and leopards. Mr. Van Ingen wrote Mr. Limouzin had shot the big cat " ... late in the evening about dusk ... " (see Mr. Prater's editorial). He " ... caught a glimpse of the animal ... ", meaning he didn't get a clear view of the cat. He thought it was a leopard, because he heard " ... the unmistakable call of a panther ... " a few minutes " ... previous to coming on to the Panther ... ". Another reason Mr. Limouzin thought he had shot a leopard was he had seen a very large leopard close to his home on several occasions. Mr. Limouzin wasn't the only one who had seen a very large leopard near his home. Mr. Van Ingen wrote a Col. W. had told him he had seen a very large leopard a few miles from the Dunsandli Estate only a year ago. This is why he thought the cat shot by Mr. Limouzin was the leopard he had seen. Both had seen a very large leopard near the Dunsandli Estate and both no doubt were fascinated by what they had seen. Experienced hunters often tried to find animals of exceptional size. Ten feet tigers and eight feet leopards were always on their mind. Not seldom, they're haunted by exceptional big cats. e - Dunsandle Estate The Dunsandle (or Dunsandli) Estate is close to what used to be Ootacamund, now Ooty, in the extreme west of Tamil Nadu State. It was built in 1829 as a sanatorium for Europeans. Enclosed on all but its western side by the Nilgiri range of hills and located at about 7 400 feet, it's still considered a healthy environment. Here's a map of Ootacamund in 1911:  *This image is copyright of its original author The Nilgiri Hills are attractive for both humans and wild animals. To the northwest is the Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Tigers shot in this part of India in the recent past were quite large. According to Ullas Karanth, they, sizewise, more or less compare to tigers in Nepal and Russia ('Tigers', 2001, pp. 48). What's true for tigers could also be true for leopards. I don't have a lot on leopards shot in this region in the period 1890-1960, but I know about 30 were shot every year in the period 1910-1930. I also know black leopards have been shot more than once. In contrast to black leopards shot in other parts of southeast Asia, black leopards shot in the Nilgiris were quite large. In 2 books, I found reliable information about robust and large male black leopards. I'll post a few scans when I can. Those interested in the natural world should consider a visit. The scenery is unsurpassed and tigers are present just about everywhere. Bandipur is not that far away and it isn't the only tiger reserve. This region is one of the few in southern Asia where tigers really stand a chance. Ullas Karanth did a very good job. As a result of the large number of prey animals, including gaur, tigers grow to a large size. Here's a bit more about this part of India. Interesting read: https://blog.teabox.com/history-of-the-nilgiri-tea Here's a photograph of P. Ramakrishnan (2012). The leopard was photographed near a tea estate. This is what Col. W. (see -c-) saw in 1920:  *This image is copyright of its original author f - Van Ingen & Van Ingen Van Ingen & Van Ingen (1900-1999) were Indian taxidermists, best known for their tiger and leopard taxidermy trophy mounts. In 2006, a book about them was published. A must read for those interested, I think. In order to give you an idea about the number of tigers shot before hunting was banned. In the period 1930-1960, 400-500 tigers were mounted. Every year, I mean. As not all hunters could afford a trophy mount, the real number of tigers shot in that period most probably well exceeded 1 000 every year (...). Here's 2 links to interesting sites: https://www.taxidermy.net/ken/?p=941 https://www.africahunting.com/threads/van-ingen-van-ingen-indian-taxidermist.2988/ |
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