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

[peter]

(05-24-2017, 03:20 AM)Rishi Wrote: @peter has no camera trap search been done more recently after 2010?..Like the one in Eastern Thailand that brought the good news..

I read that researchers used hundreds of cameras. Most unfortunately, they came up empty.

There are two likely reasons.

One is that the number of tigers is very limited. Liu thought there were only 8 tigers in the Daba Mountains in 2011.

Two is that tigers in that part of China learned to avoid humans the hard way. Tigresses that survived the unslaught in the fifties, sixties and seventies of the last century no doubt taught their cubs to avoid humans as well. After some generations, the result will be very elusive animals. Not saying they will never show themselves, but they will be very selective in this respect.

Tigers are great observers. This means that it's very likely that they know and study those who share their territory, humans included. If they know that the humans sharing their territory don't pose a threat, they might show themselves at times in order to inform them about their presence. It's, however, also very likely that they will distinguish between them and others.

Same for objects. Wild tigers often detect small changes and new objects. They also often study them. When they have nothing to fear, they will not change their behaviour. The usual result will be a few self-portraits. When they were taught to avoid them, chances are they will avoid cameras as well.

In order to illustrate the point made on wild tigers and cameras. A photograph like this one is not exceptional:

*This image is copyright of its original author

This Kazirangha tigress (not sure) saw the camera and came over an inspection. As she showed herself, it meant there was no fear. A wild tiger taught to be extra-wary, however, will act in a different way. It most probably will avoid the 'eye' of the new object and approach it from a different angle. When the scent of humans is detected, the tiger knows it's being watched. In order to prevent problems, it will decide to avoid that part of its territory in the future. It might even decide to move on. There's plenty of room in the Daba Mountains, I think.

According to those who hunted them or worked with them, big cats are thinking animals. Thinking machines, one trainer told me. That's why they have to change their routines at regular intervals. Let's assume for one moment that they could compare to humans in some respects and move to a human perspective.

If you were told at a very early age that you are wanted and, for this reason, need to hide, you will become elusive and move out of harm's way whenever possible. When you found a great hide and, one day, detect a device showing that you cover is blown, you most probably will decide to move. 

Those who hunted tigers who had good reasons to be wary of humans, like man-eaters, often wrote that their target was elusive. Not seldom, they concluded that tigers are cowards. Most hunts ended with a frustrated hunter. Or worse. Anderson and Corbett might have been the exception to the rule. And they could have been very lucky. When you read their books, the conclusion is that luck definitely played a part. Even so, Corbett admitted that hunting man-eating tigers had an effect in the end. Stress, you know.

Chinese tigers are very wary animals. They have to be, as they are hunted. Even today. Li-Yuan Liu wrote that two tigers had been killed in the last three years in the Daba Mountains. Tigers know they are hunted. This means they have to double-check everything they do. Not easy, as tigers have distinct habits. But in the Daba Mountains habits will finish you quickly. The result is an extra-wary animal. Tigers don't come more elusive than in the Daba Mountains, I think.

Also remember that there is a lot at stake in that part of China. Chongqing, not that far away, is a very busy place loaded with humans interested in chances. Mountains often have minerals. A new reserve because of a few tigers could frustrate a lot of people. I'm sure that some people living in that part of China, tigerwise, know a lot more than they are willing to admit. I'm also sure that they are as elusive as the tigers in the Daba Mountains. 

Let's hope the researchers get lucky. If they can prove beyond doubt that there are tigers in the Daba Mountains, the Chinese government has no other option but to establish a new reserve. But I have a lot of doubts. Remember we haven't heard anything from the Daba Mountains for almost 6 years now. This although researchers were sure the Daba Mountains had tigers in June 2011. Remarkable, to say the least. Reply