Among Stripes And Fur

By Wahaaj Ul-Haq

Tigers. The biggest of the Big Cats. The King of the Big Cats. Since I was a young boy I've always been interested in tigers, their amazing strength, size, speed, beautiful black and orange stripes and above all just their overall sheer awesomeness!

I mean if you’re walking through shrub land or a jungle and you just hear the word t-i-g-e-r you know you’re going to get that cold, creepy shiver up your spine. Their camouflage makes them a formidable foe to deer and other prey. With a top speed of 40mph (in short bursts) they are quite difficult to outrun. Retractable claws help them to catch on to their prey easier during a run and they are armed with canines that are 3 inches long for that killing bite.

I think we can all agree that tigers are one of the best animals in the world but what greatly upsets me much is their constant fight for existence - tiger numbers are drastically going down. WWF reports that there are only around 3,900 left in the wild.

And I'm not being yet another environmentalist droning on about extinction, I've very much got my feet planted on the ground. I'm real and serious. People, we do, we really do need to start showing care for these critically endangered animals. These stunning tigers who once roamed our Earth may not exist in a few decades. Our children and grandchildren may not live to see these magnificent beasts.

You’re probably thinking, "No that's not going to happen - they'll survive they can't just die out. Someone will do something." Here's the problem, in Africa the Northern White Rhino had the same issue: they first had a healthy population. Over time though, their population plummeted to their few thousands to their few hundreds, and now there are only 2 (yes, two) of them left and they are both females which means, yes sadly, they will go extinct. If we want to save our biggest felines we must act properly and force government to do something.

You’re also probably going to say that, "Hunting was always around and that these tigers never died out." Perhaps back in the day. I'm talking hundreds of years ago, there was hunting but not as much as the drastic amount we now have. Today, there are those who believe that tigers’ body parts can provide medicinal benefits – most of these go to China.

I don’t think human population is the problem, it’s not that they are forced to take over tiger habitat. The governments are the problem, they need to issue effective sanctions against illegal poaching. Moreover, a lot of the rich and wealthy around the world think it’s a good idea to keep live tigers or turn a magnificent beast into a rug. Someone surely must raise an eyebrow to that dastardly act of killing of a tiger, in order to flatten it into a pancake. Just to throw it onto an expansive marbled tiled floor? High culture? You tell me.

I think man and tiger can live peacefully together. After all, they have done so for thousands of years. Of course poor farmers must attack tigers so they don’t eat their livestock, they have to earn a living and feed the ever greedy and overindulgent rich. However if we can make sure that there is enough space which is protected and reserved for tigers and enough for farmers I think it will benefit tigers and humans and decrease attacks.

One thing I really don't agree with is the concept of the zoo. The western concept of the modern zoo to me is a stupid short-sighted idea and we need to end it. Did you know that there are more tigers in American zoos than in all of India? How would we feel if someone knocked our doors and threw us into a 4 by 4 metre cage? Safari parks are slightly better but nothing like seeing these beautiful cats in their own habitat - at a safe distance of course. Nothing like enjoying them in their own habitats, and seeing the fascinating way tigers live in the wild.

Whenever we intervene, instead of creating caged exhibitions for the public, we could employ more park rangers to be in the wildlife parks and reserves. This would prevent poachers - perhaps we could raise their salaries which may attract other people to this good cause too but then again money doesn't really repay kindness as doing goodness is the reward itself. Finally, in the Holy Qur’an (the sacred scripture for Muslims) it talks about how we are the trustees of the world and we must use this gift for the greater good - tigers must be kept alive and to do this we have to work together.