Siberian Survivor
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The Siberian tiger is a comeback cat. Studies show it's on the rebound.
Howard Quigley has been stalked by a jaguar, charged by a black bear, and sucked on by parasites. But he was most scared when he came face-to-face with Olga, a female Siberian tiger.
He remembers that day in 1991 when he first saw Olga. It seems like yesterday.
PURR-FECT MEETING
Shivers rolled down Quigley's spine as Olga bellowed a fierce roar. He wasn't sure what the angry cat would do next. Would she stand still? Would she run off? Or would she pounce?
The biologist remained calm. He carefully aimed his tranquilizer gun at the tiger. Then he squeezed the trigger. A dart soared through the air toward the cat.
Bull's-eye! The dart struck Olga in her shoulder. She staggered and slowly slumped to the ground—asleep.
As the cat slept, Quigley and his team of scientists went to work. They had to be careful; a female tiger can weigh 370 pounds. They wanted to finish their work before the cat woke up.
The scientists took blood samples, checked Olga's heartbeat, and measured her body from head to tail.
They also put a radio collar around her soft, furry neck. The collar sends a radio signal—a series of beeps—that helps scientists track an animal's movements.
CAT TRACKS
Quigley hoped Olga's collar would help him learn more about Siberian tigers. The speed of the beeps from her collar would tell him about the tiger's habits. It would also tell Quigley when she was sleeping, hunting, moving to a new territory—or dead.
Quigley needed to learn all he could about Olga’s habits. His goal was to keep tigers like her from becoming disappearing from the forest forever, or from becoming extinct.
POACHING AND POTIONS
By the time Quigley first saw Olga, many wildlife experts worried that Siberian tigers were about to become extinct. Their habitat or home, has almost disappeared.
The big cats once roamed the area from eastern Russia to South Korea. But by the early 1900s, overhunting had wiped out most of them. Fewer than 50 were left!
By 1947 laws were passed to protect the tigers. The laws have helped a little. But Olga and other tigers still face serious threats.
Some people in Asia believe that tiger parts can be used to make traditional medicines. Almost every body part is used to make some kind of potion. Brains, tails, and whiskers, for instance, are used to treat everything from pimples to toothaches to paralysis.
Poachers, people who hunt illegally, can make $15,000 from selling just one dead tiger. That’s more money than most Asian families make in several years.
TIGER WOODS
Poaching isn't the only danger tigers face. The cats are losing their forest habitat.
The Russian taiga is the largest forest on the planet. Scientists say a third of all trees in the world grow there. Many Siberian tigers and their prey—elk, wild boars, and deer—also live there.
But animals aren't alone in the forest. Many people are moving in. They're cutting down trees and tiger habitat.
TIGER PROTECTION
Tiger habitat doesn't have to be destroyed. Quigley thinks people can find a way to balance their needs with those of the tiger. "It's hard to tell the Russians that they can't sell their natural resources," says Quigley. "It’s important to find a way to manage forests so tigers and their prey can continue to have a place to live."
Many experts say by managing forests in a cat-friendly way, some trees can be cut down, while others are left standing. This could allow people and tigers to use the same forests.
Protecting tiger habitat could also help people who live near those areas make money. Tourists could travel there to see tigers. Tourism would create jobs for the local people. People with jobs that pay well are less likely to poach tigers.
TIGER TRIUMPH?
Scientists are finding ways to protect Olga and other tigers. So far, they've set up anti-poaching squads to keep poachers out of the forest.
The squads look for signs that poachers have been in the forest. If they spot gun shells or traps, they know to look for poachers. Their work is paying off. They have helped make several arrests.
Some tigers still get poached, and their habitat is still shrinking. But Siberian tiger numbers are on the rise. Nearly 400 may now roam the wild. Some are even moving into areas where they haven't been seen in years.
Four hundred Siberian tigers may not sound like a lot. It isn't. But it's a start. There are more tigers today than there were 100 years ago. And their numbers are increasing.
Not only are Siberian tigers doing better, but so is Olga. She is thriving. In May 2002, she gave birth to her sixth litter of cubs. In many ways, she has helped the endangered cats make an amazing comeback.
Article by Rene Ebersole. Online Extra and links by Amy Sarver.
"Siberian Survivor" appears on pages 16-21 of our November-December 2003 issue.
// ONLINE EXTRA //
TIGER TRIVIA
"Stripeprints"
Like human fingerprints, tiger stripes are different for each animal.
Biggest Beasts
Tigers are the largest cats in the world. And Siberians are the biggest of all five tiger species.
Subhead TK
A group of tigers is sometimes called a streak or an ambush. Most often, though, tigers live alone.
I found "streak" and "ambush" on various animal-group-name websites, but dictionaries didn't define either word as a tiger group. Hence my "some."
Clever Claws
Like house cats, tigers have retractable claws. That means the cat can pull its claws back into a protective layer of skin. This prevents them from wearing down as the tiger walks.
Monster Meals
Tigers can eat 50 to 70 pounds in a single meal. Then again, they sometimes go a week eating anything.
SCENTS-IBLE SCIENCE
Earlier this year, a team of scientists wrapped up a 12-month study of Siberian tigers. The scientists had an unusual group of assistants—dogs.
These helper hounds learned the individual scents of tigers in eastern Russia. That allowed the dogs to track each tiger's movements. Following the dogs, scientists could see where tigers traveled and what the ate.
Information from the study may help scientists find ways to protect Siberian tigers.
You can learn more about career canines from our Working Like a Dog article and Dogs at Work game.
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// LINKS //
National Geographic Creature Feature: Tigers
Find tiger facts, video clips, maps and more!
Online Adventure: Cyber Tiger
Design a zoo habitat for your very own Siberian tiger.
Discovery Channel: Living with Tigers
Can zoo-born tigers survive in the wild? Meet two Bengal tigers that are trying to do just that.
5 Tigers: The Tiger Information Center
Listen to tigers growl, check out tiger pictures, visit tigers in zoos across the globe, and find out everything you want to know about tigers.
The Tiger Foundation: The South China Tiger Project
Go into the field with scientists who are researching the world’s most endangered tigers. Check out the "Notes from the Field" and find out what it’s like to be in the jungle with the world’s largest cats.
Where to Find a Zoo Tiger Near You
Tigers live in zoos throughout the lower 48 states. This map can help you go see them.
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