Amur tigers were all but extinct 50 years ago. If the Russian government hadn’t imposed protections, the tigers, which once roamed all across Siberia and parts of China and North Korea, would never have made it into the 21st century.But increased poaching is threatening the species. The Wildlife Conservation Society states that the tiger population has dropped over 40% in the last 12 years. With only 4-500 left in the wild, the Amur tigers are in serious danger of being wiped out forever.
Logging has contributed to the problem by reducing the tiger’s habitat, but poaching remains the biggest threat. The previous tough protections have been eased. Nowadays, minor penalties for illegally killing the tigers don’t deter the poachers.
As usual in poaching stories, the Oriental demand for exotic animals drives the trade. The poachers can get high prices in Asian markets for the skins and body parts, and the fine for poaching is only 1,000 rubles which works out to a whopping $35.00.
If the demand doesn’t decline, or if penalties for poaching don’t increase, the illegal trade in slaughtered Amur tigers will guarantee their destruction in only a few more years.
