Sumatran Tigers are the smallest sub-species, and they are critically endangered with around 350 tigers left in the wild. The Sumatran Tiger, as its name suggests, is found only on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.

Sumatran Tigers are distinctive for being the only subspecies to live in isolation on a large island they have been isolated from their cousins on mainland Asia for over 10,000 years; this happened after a rise in sea level.

At the turn of the 20th century, there were three subspecies of tiger in Indonesia – the Bali tiger (on Bali) the Javan tiger (Java) and the Sumatran. Today both the Bali and Javan tigers are EXTINCT and only the Sumatran tiger survives.

Sumatra prior to 1900 was largely covered in primary forest and the tiger was more or less found throughout the entire island. Today just 100 years later its distribution has become fragmented and substantially reduced. Although found in all the islands eight provinces in highly populated areas such as the provinces of North Sumatra and Lampung, the animal has been squeezed out. It is sad to not that only about 350 wild Sumatran tigers are believed to exist, primarily in the island’s five national parks.

Greatest Threats

Today the greatest threat to the Sumatran Tiger is Man. In Sumatra, tiger habitat is shrinking fast with timber resources being exploited on a large scale. The tiger in Sumatra faces precarious prospects if its present distribution continue to be substantially reduced and populations become small, fragmented and isolated from one another. Loss of their natural habitat often leads tigers to move into settled areas in search of food, where they then encounter problems.

Tiger poaching and the illegal trading of tiger parts and products is one of the most immediate threats to the Sumatran tiger. Chinese medicine has spread throughout Asia. Nearly every part of the tiger is reported to have healing properties from the eyeball-a treatment for epilepsy to the whiskers – a cure for tooth ache.

Symbolic History of the Tiger

Tigers (and all other carnivores) are descended from civet-like animals called miacids that lived alongside the DINOSAURS about 60 million years ago. Fossil remains have been found which put the tiger in Indonesia 2 million years ago

Images of tigers have been discovered as far back as 1700 B.C. (4,000 years ago) and throughout history the tiger has been a symbol of both power and strength. Used as executioners in Asian courts; for entertainment in European gladiatorial combats; and as a status symbol for monarchs.

Tigers have long been thought to hold some mystical, supernatural power. The shang people of China believed tigers (lau hu) were messengers between the human and spirit world, images of tigers were placed upon tombs to warn off evil spirits. In the Hindu religion Shiva the destroyer rides a tiger (Bagh) and wears a tiger skin, followers of Buddah ride tigers to show their supernatural ability to overcome evil. Forest dwellers of India built shrines and temples to worship them, Islam followers in Sumatra believe tigers (rimau) punish sinners on behalf of Allah.

Captive Tigers in Zoos

Approximately 361 captive Sumatran Tigers live in zoos around the world. In addition to the 119 Sumatran tigers living in Indonesian zoos, there are 73 tigers managed by North American zoos, 98 in European zoos, and 2 8in Australasian zoos. (Source International Tiger Studbook – courtesy of Zoological Society of London)

More Information about Donations

If you feel inclined to help the survival of these wondrous and beautiful wild creatures, you may visit the Sumatran Tiger Trust, and become a proud foster parent of a wild Sumatran Tiger.

100% of money raised finances tiger monitoring, habitat preservation, community development, anti poaching patrols, park ranger training and the purchase of essential field equipment. (Activities managed under the Sumatran Tiger Conservation Programme, a collaborative conservation partnership with the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation (PHKA) of the Indonesian Department of Forestry.)
It is this field equipment – notably remote cameras that have provided us with these magnificent rare shots of these otherwise elusive wild, free animals going about their daily lives within Sumatra’s National Parks.

Your generosity will entitle you to a certificate of adoption, complete with a photograph of your chosen tiger. Also, we promise to keep you informed of your tigers progress and update you on sightings and in recognition of your support will add your name to the roll of honor to be displayed in the park and on the website.

My greatest love in the natural world is that of horses. I have a special affinity with these beautiful animals, and have had some very great experiences with the equines in my life. It has been brought to my attention that America’s wild mustangs are in serious danger, and there is no time to lose in helping them to survive. This is not a natural danger, but a man made one. Disappointment Valley exposes mismanagement and corruption within the Bureau of Land Management. Please watch the following video, which includes heartfelt concerns, and a call for action from Viggo Mortensen and Sheryl Crow…

For more vital information on how you can help, please visit –> The American Wild Horse today. There is no time for delay, as this is happening now, and horses are dying.

Without our help, these beautiful, wild, and noble creatures will no longer exist. They have been our friends and helpers since ancient times… is this really how we will repay these great hearts that have helped us so much? I am not willing to accept this. We need to take action, sign the petitions, and make some phone calls.. let our voices be heard in this outrage!

Some numbers to call – 1) Call President Obama (202-456-1111) and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar (202-208-3100)

More than 1,000 wolves have been hunted down and murdered in the States just this year alone. At this rate Wolves will soon become extinct, and will only be found in legends and tales of history. Is this really the fate we wish to deal these beautiful four leggeds? Not only are they a vital part of the natural ecosystem, yet they are living creatures placed upon this planet so very long ago, to coexist with all the other creatures that make up life on this planet Earth.

I personally cannot even imagine a world in which Wolves no longer exist. This is a sad fate for a creature which has survived throughout time, living by their wits and courage. As humans, we can learn much just by watching the Wolf as she interacts with her cubs and pack mates. Their cunning and loyalty to the pack, endears them to a wild and free heart such as mine.

Seriously, there is plenty of room for these wild ones. They would not encroach upon human settlements, if we were not such poor stewards as to kill off their natural prey through mismanagement on the part of humans. We do not utilize the gifts on this planet in the manner in which it was given. The world is pretty messed up, and it makes me wonder how we can be in such a sorry state! The view of this entire planet, all the waste wanton destruction, and pollution, is simply apalling!!

Let’s keep our eyes open, educate ourselves, and make it our business to be aware of our surroundings. We cannot bring back the thousands of creatures which have become extinct in the past 50 years alone, but we can take responsiblilty and save those in danger here and now!

Check around and see what you can do in your own area, and please consider supporting Defenders of Wildlife in their quest to protect these wild beauties. Superior strength does not qualify us to play gods with the natural world.

After working so long and hard to enable protection for our Wolves, it is quite frustrating to see there are still so many ignorant and heartless people who are trying to devastate the Wolf populations in the Greater Yellowstone park and other places. Some people do not seem to understand that the Creator placed the animals here to help keep the Balance on this planet, and humans do not have the right to destroy and elimate at will, or to their own pleasure. Please step up with compassion to help put a stop to the wanton slaughter of our beautiful Wolf brothers and sisters who have the right to Life and Freedom as much as Humans do. I would like to share a letter and plea for help that I just recieved from Defenders of Wildlife. This is vital, and we do not have the time to mess around on this one, as Wolves will die if we do not put a stop to the madness…

Dear Teri,

I have some terrible news. Today, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced that he would follow the discredited path of the Bush Administration and delist wolves in the Northern Rockies and Greater Yellowstone region.

This is a stunning development, just six weeks into the Obama Administration. This delisting paves the way for almost 1000 wolves to be killed under deadly state management plans in Idaho and Montana.

The killing could begin in just weeks.

As I write this, we are already preparing an emergency legal challenge to this harmful proposal — and we’ll be in court as quickly as possible. But we need your help for the legal fight ahead.

Please make an emergency donation now to support our Northern Rockies and Greater Yellowstone Wolf Legal Defense Fund.

This delisting will put the fate of our wolves in the hands of state governments that want to slaughter nearly 1,000 wolves. Last year, when federal wolf protections were temporarily lifted in the region, more than 100 wolves were killed in just a short time – including the world renowned “Limpy.”

In addition, regular wolf hunting seasons could begin as early as this fall in Idaho and Montana — and Idaho Governor “Butch” Otter said again today that he still wants the first available hunting tag to shoot a wolf himself.

We can’t allow the out-of-control killing of wolves to happen again.

Please donate now to support our emergency legal challenge to protect our wolves in the Northern Rockies.

For more than 35 years, Defenders of Wildlife has fought for our wolves. We were there when the first wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park and we’ve been there to defend them ever since. We’ve beaten back efforts to prematurely delist these wolves in the past, and I’m confident we can do so again.

Just this week, we celebrated a hard-fought victory made possible with your help as the Senate voted to overturn the Bush Administration’s last-minute gutting of the Endangered Species Act. We now need to beat back another deadly Bush-era plan that will open the door to the slaughter of nearly 1,000 wolves.

Please donate what you can today to save the lives of wolves in the Northern Rockies and Greater Yellowstone.

Together, we can win our legal challenge of the same bad plan originally put forth in the last throes of the Bush Administration — and ensure that our wolves will continue to be around for future generations.

Sincerely,

Rodger Schlickeisen
President
Defenders of Wildlife

P.S. Your donation through our secure website will ensure that your contribution will be put to immediate work. You can also donate by calling 1-800-385-9712.

Let’s take a look at what’s going on with the amazingly graceful and beautiful creature known as the Sea Turtle…

Did you know that Sea Turtles are some of the planet’s most ancient and endangered creatures? Unfortunately, in recent years, hundreds of these Sea Turtles in the Gulf of Mexico have been killed or injured by an indiscriminate fishing practice known as bottom longline fishing. This is a cruel way to die, and we must put a stop to it!

Please help us save sea turtles. Take action online at – Defenders of Gulf Turtles. Sign the petition, so we can avoid a costly court battle, which will leave the Sea Turtle extremely vulnerable, as time is wasted on such a venture.

Between July 2006 and the end of 2007, the government estimates that the Gulf of Mexico bottom longline fishery, which targets reef fish like grouper and tilefish, resulted in the capture of nearly 1,000 threatened and endangered Sea Turtles — and that in more than 80% of these incidents, the turtles were injured or killed.

Six of seven species of Sea Turtles are listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, and indiscriminate fishing practices are a grave threat to sea turtles around the world. Loggerheads nesting on Florida beaches — the same turtles captured in the Gulf of Mexico bottom longline fishery — have plummeted by more than 40% over the last decade.

We need to take action right now to save Sea Turtles. Please take action online today at – Defenders of Gulf Turtles.

Thanks for taking the time to help save this endangered species…

I was afraid to look at this horrifying news, as I did not really want to see the horrible impact on the environment and the community. It really makes me angry to see such destruction caused through ignorance and neglect, and the magnitude of this disaster is mind boggling. The breach of a pond dam full of toxic sludge at the Kingston Steam Plant, which brought destruction across the Roane County countryside and into East Tennessee waterways, will create such a huge magnitude of lasting and far reaching deadly consequences as to break ones heart. The families living in the area are in extreme danger, as this giant river of toxic sludge plowed through homes and into the rivers and lake, and the government needs to wake up NOW and clean this mess up!

Although it will take much just to get these families to a safe place and compensation for their losses, too much damage has been done. The first estimate from TVA claimed just over a million cubic yards had roared across the area following the collapse of a dike wall holding back the coal ash waste. They tripled that amount, again “estimating” the total was more like 5.4 million cubic yards, yet as they are not forthcoming with information or accountability I believe the true amount is much more.

The impact on nature and the environment is heartbreaking to contemplate. Looking on the horrifying devastation from images and videos makes me shudder, and I cannot even imagine what it looks and feels like in person. From personal accounts it is a nightmare; a nightmare people are not going to wake up from anytime soon. One would think people learn from their mistakes and we would have evolved enough by now, and know not to play with toxic waste. How are we going to clean this up? It hasn’t even stopped moving, and by the time it reaches the ocean it will have poisoned the land for many, many miles.

I simply cannot express the scope of this horrifying event without crying my heart out for the land and the people, so if you want more information and updates as this event unfolds please visit –> Knoxvillebiz to find a link roundup full of news and articles relating to Tennessee’s latest environmental disaster.

It appears our government officials are unsuprisingly absent on this one, and it’s up to the people to push this to the front of the table. We need to get the word out and stay on top of things, as we cannot allow this to happen again elsewhere. This is bigger than some people think, and we need to fight to get the attention and help that will be needed to contain this disaster as much as possible. I cannot believe they are not all over this, but that is just me. I tend to want to believe other people think like me, and it just isn’t so.

When I think of the American plains, I imagine the sweet grasses blowing in the wind, and the wild Buffalo roaming with their herds. The Buffalo are most Sacred to my people. They were placed here for some very good reasons, as they spread the seeds and fertilized the land. Once they provided food and materials for shelter and clothing for the peoples of this land. It is amazing to imagine how brilliantly the Creator of this world set things in motion so very long ago. From the tiniest microbe to the mightiest predator. Each living creature having a purpose, and given the chance to evolve in a natural way. To think that the beings who believe themselves most intelligent cannot see the widsom behind this, and are the ones destroying the balance so painstakingly created to maintain Life on this Earth. Such folly can be credited to a foolish, yet supposed intelligent race, when we should be providing good stewardship in caring for the environment. Nature knows how to do her job… why is it so hard to do ours?

Alas, it tears at my heart when I try to find good news to pass along to my readers. I mean, shouldn’t there be a Balance of as much good as bad? I know the saying goes ‘it is always darkest before the dawn’, yet must so much be destroyed before the Balance can be restored? Our songs and traditions speak of such a Beautiful and Bountiful land, yet when we look around, where has the bounty gone? And what are we doing to all the Beautiful places? What legacy are we truly leaving our children and future generations? Wow… I am feeling depressed about this walk, and that is not good. I am usually so optimistic in feeling I can make a difference, and days like this cause me to feel so helpless and small in the scheme of things. How can one small being such as myself even hope to make a dent in this daunting task?

Well then, I suppose I must pass along the news which prompted my sadness in this moment…

For years, BioGems Defenders have fought to halt the U.S. government’s systematic capture and killing of Yellowstone’s bison — better known as American buffalo — as they roam beyond the boundaries of the park in search of food during the harsh winter months. But this year the rate of slaughter has reached unprecedented proportions with more than 1,400 buffalo dead — fully 30 percent of the buffalo population. In response, the NRDC Action Fund, our partner organization, is mobilizing a massive outcry to stop the killing.

» Tell the National Park Service to stop the slaughter of Yellowstone’s wild buffalo.

I would like to think we can make a difference if we put our minds to it and work together. I truly would like to spread some good news in letting people know there is a safe, bountiful and beautiful place in which the remaining Buffalo may roam and grow plentiful once again.

My experiences as a mother, and compassionate human being sharing this Earth with so many wondrous creatures, has served to give me a greater perspective of all it entails to be a parent in a world full of unexpected events and moments of crisis. I feel quite strongly the bond we all share in these struggles, whether it be with my fellow humans or those beings of a different nature. We are all part of the same web, all things being connected, and therefor we carry equal shares in responsibility of helping to keep the great Balance. 

As Mother’s Day approaches, penguin moms and families are facing a meltdown. You can help support our work to save these beloved birds — and their families — by adopting a penguin today.

Penguins may sing and dance in the movies, but — in the real world — times are tough. Rising temperatures are destroying vital penguin habitat and depriving them of crucial food sources, such as the shrimp-like krill. Many penguins can’t find enough food to feed their chicks.

Already, penguin populations have decreased by nearly 80 percent in some areas.

Adopt a penguin, a penguin family, or a Penguin Mom & Chick for your favorite “Moms” this Mother’s Day. It’s a great gift and you’ll be helping to save these precious creatures at the same time!

With your Penguin Mom & Chick gift adoption, those special ‘moms’ in your life will receive a soft and cuddly 11″ Tall, Penguin Mom & Chick Plushes, a framed personalized Certificate of Adoption and penguin photo, a penguin fact sheet, chock full of information about these feathered friends, and a Kids Wildlife Activity Book.

More importantly, your penguin gift adoption for Mom will help support our efforts to address global warming, pass legislation to help animals adapt to a changing climate, and our education and mobilization efforts to protect these wonderful animals.

Adopt a penguin or another imperiled animal by 7AM eastern on May 5th for FREE shipping in time for Mother’s Day.

P.S. Remember to place your adoption by 7AM Eastern Monday, May 5th for arrival by Mother’s Day with with FREE shipping! You can also get your adoption there on time with Express shipping if you order by 7AM Eastern Tuesday, May 6th.

P.P.S. Place your order by May 5th and receive a 10 percent discount off all your animal adoptions. Simply enter discount code MOM on your order. You can also make your wildlife gift adoption over the phone at (800) 385-9712.

Wow, I almost missed this one! I am really busy playing catch-up after taking a bit of time away from taking care of business, so I wish to offer a belated ~*~ Happy Birthday ~*~ to the wonderful people who have dedicated so much to the World’s wildlife… Defenders of Wildlife.

Defenders of Wildlife was born on March 25, 1947, which makes them 61 years old. They rightly feel it is the people who contribute, no matter how big or small, who deserve credit for the victories scored throughout the years. So I would like to extend a special ‘thank you’ from my heart to all those who have offered up their support, in their own special way, in this fight to save the Earths beautiful, strange and totally unique creatures. It matters not how you help… what counts is your love and dedication to preserve that which naturally belongs on this planet, all of which is part of the great Balance.

Here are just a few victories Defenders wish to celebrate thanks to all the wonderful supporters…

And a word from the Defenders of Wildlife…

As we celebrate these achievements, we’re also looking forward. Our wildlife faces some pretty daunting challenges — and we’re ready to tackle them with you by our side.

We’ll continue our 35-year fight to ensure the long-term survival of wolves in the Greater Yellowstone region and beyond. And our biggest challenge will be addressing global warming and its impacts on our wildlife.

Thanks to you, we’ve been there for our wildlife and wild places — and with your help, we’ll continue to be there well into the future.