By Emily Goodheart Kautz and Courtney Nachlas
Tigers have been revered for centuries. Take one look at their striking coloring, muscled body and amber eyes, and it’s no small wonder. Yet these distinctive cats face increasing pressure as they are forced out of their forest homes due to habitat fragmentation and poaching. The number of wild tigers has plummeted from 100,000 in 1900 to approximately 3,900 today. We are in the midst of an international crisis, as humans encroach on tracts of jungle, tigers are killed for their body parts and cubs are separated from their mothers at birth to be raised as pets.
The Wildlife Trafficking Alliance (WTA), a coalition of more than 70 nonprofits and AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, is fighting against the illegal tiger trade. They strive for the preservation of tigers and many other endangered species by raising public awareness and working to eliminate wildlife traffickers’ supply chains. Evidence of these measures is already apparent: tiger populations are on the rise for the first time in 100 years! You can join the effort to save tigers. Ensure your purchasing choices don’t harm tigers, support legislation that protects these captivating creatures and help spread the word. Being informed is a great first step, so take the quiz below to test your tiger knowledge!
