Big Cats Facing Extinction Essay

Big Cats Are Facing Extinction

Stacey Travis

Com/156

March 11, 2012

Raechell P Garrett

Big Cats Facing Extinction

Tigers always have been a symbol of strength and courage in Asia as well as other parts in the world. Likewise, they are beautiful to look at too. It is hard to imagine going to a zoo and not seeing tigers or lions or hearing that there are no big cats left in the world. However, the extinction of big cats may happen faster than many people realize. The world population of big cats is decreasing severely, and several species are already extinct. Expect mass extinction of big cats within 10 to 15 years unless something gets done to conserve them. There are several reasons for this. Illegal poaching and hunting in addition to poor management of big cat reserves, specifically in India, are leading to the rapid decrease of the tiger population.

It is currently estimated that within the next two decades, many species of big cats such as tigers and leopards will likely be extinct or severely endangered (USA Today, Oct 28, 2011). There are several causes for this, and there are also rather easy solutions to the causes. One leading causes for the decline in population of big cats is hunting and poaching. For example, in the last three decades, three species of tigers have become extinct, mainly because of hunting and poaching (D'Silva, 2011). Tigers are heavily hunted and poached for a variety of reasons. The main reason is their fur. In addition, their body parts such as claws and even eyes are highly collectible in many parts of the world because they are thought to be a sign of strength (D'Silva, 2011). In addition, many cultures believe that tiger bloods and organs can be used to cure medical conditions. Clearly the solution to this is to stop illegal hunting and poaching. However,

Big Cats Facing Extinction

that is often impossible as poachers are typically difficult to detect and know how to avoid...