In the last half century we have lost three subspecies of tiger. The Bali tiger went extinct in the 1940’s, followed by the Caspian tiger in the 1970’s and the Javan tiger in the 1980’s. It is also likely that we have lost the South China tiger in the wild and only a few individuals of this subspecies remain in captivity.

People living alongside tiger have historically regarded them as vermin. People persecuted tigers to protect their own livelihoods, in much the same way as wolves have been persecuted in the United States. People living in tiger landscapes deal on a daily basis with the dangers of a predator that occasionally eats their livestock. As growing human populations fragment tiger habitats, there is a need for mutual respect and tolerance for tigers.

Tigers are a resilient and fast-breeding species. Their needs are quite simple-they need they need a lot of space, protection from poachers and abundant prey animals. Given these simple ingredients tigers could survive indefinitely, yet tiger populations continue to take a beating. Tiger habitats have declined by up to 40% across their range in the last 10 years. As tigers are lost there is growing recognition that people are losing an integral piece of their historical and cultural identity that can never be replaced.

Tigers are one of the most charismatic species on the face of the planet. They are a flagship for conservation efforts throughout Asia. Tigers need space and food just as much as people do, but this space is not freely available in Asia where growing human populations live in poverty and clamor for more land. It is impossible for politicians to place the welfare of animals above their constituents, so saving tigers in the 21st Century will require strong political will, dedicated communities, good science and a growing appreciation of the value of wild tigers as an important national treasure.