There are very few tigers that are available on the Earth today because of various reasons. The common reasons for the decrease in the tiger population are that there are many poachers around who are killing these beasts of the forests indiscriminately to fill their pockets with money. There is still a very high demand for various tiger related products that include the skin, fat and the teeth of the tiger. All these have cause poachers to kill these tigers for their own benefit.

Causes of tiger population decrease

There are various causes for the decrease in the population of tigers in the wild. The main causes are as follows:

1. Poaching:

There is an indiscriminate poaching of tigers in various countries, especially in China. In fact the Chinese government has not been able to control the killings of tigers and so has been thinking of legalizing trade in tiger products so that they will be able to decrease and also have a decreased trade in the tiger products. They believe that the government will be able to control the trade in tiger population if there is a legalizing of trade.

2. The forested land:

The decrease in the forested land is another reason for the decrease in the tiger population. There is increased human and tiger encounters where the tigers are killed. This has made tiger population decrease in many parts of the world. Governments are trying to protect the big cats by protecting their natural habitat.

Steps taken by governments to save the tiger:

1. Protected tiger reserves:

There are many countries that have protected reserves where the tigers can roam free. There are also a high number of officials on patrol in the forests and they are able to decrease the poaching in these forest areas.

2. Creating awareness:

The government is also trying to create awareness of the importance of protecting the tiger. Using various media like the print and television has been effective to an extent and there has been a marked decrease in the human animal interface in most of the reserve forests. Adequate compensation to those affected by animal attacks and also the relocation of people living near the forest belts has reduced the number of tiger deaths.

Effects of the decrease in tiger population

The decrease in the tiger population of the world will have major impact on the balance in the forests. In an ecosystem, all the flora and the fauna should be in a proper balance. This balance is very important for the various animals and the plants to survive. Even if there is an imbalance with the decrease in the population of one particular species of animal, there will be a decrease in the population or increase in the population of other groups of species leading to an imbalance in the forest.

These are the various facts that each and every person should know about the protection of tigers in their natural habitat. This will help to prevent the extinction of one of the greatest cats to ever roam the forests of the world.

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