Honey Let’s Adopt a Wild Sumatran Tiger…
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.
It can be incredibly frustrating when our dedication and love for Earth’s wild creatures goes unheeded. The ignorance and greed of some people is bringing about devastating events which are serving to destroy the Balance, and cause the inevitable extinction of yet another creature, the
No matter the season, a gift from the heart to help those in desperate need brings such a great feeling. As I live and breathe my goals each day are to do something worthwhile to help the Earth’s wild creatures. There is a great danger to our four legged friends, the Gray Wolf. If we do not put a stop to aerial gunning in Alaska, these beautiful creatures will soon only be found in the books of History. This is very sad indeed, as these animals have a right to share this Earth alongside us, as part of the great Balance. Who are we to question Creation in deciding what may live and what we must drive into extinction? Has man lost all sense of honor and can no longer tell right from wrong? This is so obviously wrong to me, and my heart goes out to the Wolf, among many others suffering through human greed. There is no honor in killing animals in this way. Unless they have gone rogue, and are causing harm to others, they have every right to live just as you and I. Should we begin hunting humans because there are simply too many of us, and we no longer wish to share the land? As that would be abominally wrong, so it the senseless hunting of those struggling to survive in the rapidly dwindling natural world.
Yet again, I am reminded of the cruelty and selfishness of mankind. Of course, not all of us are intentionally wicked.. some of us only create unintentional harm. Yet those of us who realize the impact we have on the natural world choose to make a change for the better. And we love to encourage others to pay attention and do the same.



