Tiger Vision

International Tiger Day is here! To celebrate, we’re recapping our top 5 tiger blogs of the year! Learn more below about the exciting ways Panthera is helping these majestic big cats, as well as some stories from our scientists! 

In this blog, Dr. John Goodrich, our Chief Scientist and Tiger Program Director, expresses his optimism about the latest IUCN update on wild tiger numbers, which revealed a positive trend. Read about tiger conservation's past, present and future and why we must be cautiously optimistic. 

Iconic species roam our planet, bringing harmony to our lives. Human beings live alongside elephants, gorillas, bears, wolves...the list goes on. And, of course, wild cats are among the most iconic animals which call Earth their home.  Forty species of cats fill the human imagination with wonder, especially the big cats — including the lion, jaguar and leopard. 

Lunar New Year celebrations may be drawing to a close with, but 2022 still remains the Year of the Tiger. Despite the global observance of these majestic creatures as a zodiac icon, tigers are critically endangered throughout parts of the Eastern Hemisphere. There are only around 4,500 tigers remaining in the wild, and their numbers are dwindling due to illegal hunting and the destruction of their natural habitats.

The Malayan tiger is the most threatened tiger subspecies, with probably less than 200 left in the wild. Some predict it could go extinct within as little as three years if we do not act immediately. Poaching gangs on the hunt for tiger body parts are emptying forests of these magnificent cats in Malaysia to feed a demand in Vietnam and China that shows no signs of slowing. Despite this dire situation, with 44 percent of the peninsula still covered in forest, Malaysia has the potential to pull off one of the greatest recoveries in tiger range.

Editor’s Note: Eric’s role in Panthera’s Tigers Forever program specializes in working with anti-poaching law enforcement stakeholders in the field to understand and tailor responses to wild cats’ threats.