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

[peter]

(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:

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.

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. Reply