Barbary or Atlas lions

[peter]

MATIAS

Informative posts. I copied the article, as it is an interesting attempt to get to an educated opinion on the validity of sightings and reports on extinct animals.  

At to the sightings and the article. In the previous century, many species and subspecies disappeared. Big cats were included. The Barbary or Atlas lion disappeared in the twenties or thirties of the last century. Not much later, the Caspian tiger was declared extinct. In the eighties of the last century, the Java tiger followed. Same for the Chinese tiger. 

Are they really gone?

The Barbary lion is no more, but I'm not sure about the Caspian tiger. Same for the Javan and the Chinese tiger. In the city where I live, friends from the eastern part of Turkey told me that tigers were hunted in that part of Turkey not so long ago. I can't ask them for some evidence, as this could have consequences. I also posted information about Caspian tigers seen in Afghanistan and other parts of central Asia. One of our best posters, Phatio, is convinced that Java still has tigers. He has been in the eastern part of Java himself and posted about his quest. And what about China? in 2011, biologists were sure that there were tigers at the borders of Sichuan, Shaanxi and, possibly, Hunan. The region where they allegedly live, however, is not too far from the megacity of Chongquing. This region is promising for those interested in mining. Why is it that we haven't heard anything about tigers in that region for 6 years?  

As you know, northern Africa distinctly featured in World War Two. Conflicts in that part of Africa didn't end in 1945. It is known that big cats seldom perish in human conflicts. If anything, they thrive. If we add reports on the extinction of Atlas lions and, for this reason, the loss of interest of hunters, the conclusion is that nothing can be taken for granted in the period 1930-1960. 

You know about the intimate connection between politics, (palm) oil, money and all the rest of it. You also know that most countries that have big cats are not governed by those interested in conservation.   

What I'm saying is that it isn't easy to assess reports. When I read reports about 'extinctions' and 'functional extinctions', I take them seriously. Not because I assume the information is correct, but because I think they are an announcement about the future. In a way, they compare to orbituaries. Orbituaries about animals about to leave this here world. Not wanted, is what I read between the lines. Reply