By Sadie York
When I was in Preschool, my teacher had my class draw out what our future career would look like. Everyone had common occupations such as a doctor, firefighter, or even an astronaut. I, on the other hand, drew myself as a princess with a pet tiger (I was not inspired by Jasmine FYI). For some unknown reason, tigers have always been one of my favorite animals, and although I may not be able to own one as a pet, they’ve always held a special place in my heart since.
The Sumatran tiger is a population of the smallest felines of the tiger subspecies. They reside on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Of the Sundra Islands, the Sumatran species is the only remaining, as the Bali and Javan tigers have gone extinct due to excessive overhunting, as well as land loss by human action. The Sumatran tiger species have been labeled as critically endangered since 1994, and the main cause of the decline is habitat loss. The main loss of forest is due to the heavy palm oil production which occurs in Sumatra. There are a reported less than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the world.
Also known as the Panthera tigris sumatrae, this particular species of tiger can grow up to 8 feet and reach a capacity of 260 pounds. Distinct from each other by their darker orange fur and tight-knit stripes, the Sumatran tiger generally lives in solitary. However, many of the remaining Sumatran tigers are housed in protected areas (national parks), which allows them to roam with security. Indonesia also turned to the use of the Muslim religion to prevent the poaching of these sacred animals. In 2014, it was decreed that killing Sumatran tigers wasn’t just a violation of the country’s law, but also the religious laws in place.
The Sumatran tiger species will hopefully grow back as their safety is becoming more prioritized in Indonesia. It’s important to recognize the species on the brink of extinction and ensure a positive impact is left to reverse the damages that humans have caused to these animals who’ve been invaded in their own homes.
