Cat Extinction

If you own a cat, you might be taking it for granted. The tiger is considered a very bold animal in the wonderful species of cats. These large, beautiful creatures are currently sulking around the savannahs of India, feasting on a wide range of prey from antelopes to elephants. Being one of the apex predators always comes with its perks.

But tigers, like everything else, have their own weakness. Unfortunately, humans are the predators of this magnificent cat. Around the world today, thousands of poachers hunt koalas, elephants, rhinos and, to top it all off, tigers. According to the Hindustan Times Newspaper, out of the 551 tigers that died in 2018-2023, 114 deaths were due to poaching. Tiger skins are so valuable that people around the world are trampling each other just to get their filthy hands on them. When this news reached me, I was immediately shocked and devastated.

One of the reasons I love these awesome animals is because of a comic series called Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson. In the comic, a boy trying to scoot through school gets into mischief with his friend who is, you guessed it, a tiger. Reading my first ever strip just blew my mind: I was instantly addicted to Calvin’s obviously fake excuses and Hobbes’ hilariously sarcastic mood. My mom then bought me a limited-time Hobbes plush! I have had him for about four years now and he is still intact. Hopefully, real-life tigers will still be around for a while.

According to The Thaiger Paper, tigers have lost a whopping 95% of their historical range, which goes back to about 108,000 years ago. Ouch.

At this point, you might be thinking that all hope is lost, but it isn’t: some poachers are even rebelling against their own profession! According to Anatra News, on July 21, 2022, 20 ex-poachers pledged to stop tiger hunting. I wish that all poachers would stop. I understand that some of these people are poor, and they need some source of income — one tiger sells for more than 30 PlayStation 5s.This is a tough predicament; many people around the world are unemployed, and desperate times call for desperate measures.

Tiger King, a 2020 Netflix documentary about a man who owns, breeds and abuses tigers, created the concept of “Joe Exotic.” To the main character of “Tiger King,” owning and objectifying tigers was a sign of superiority. Similarly, other animals’ collected heads, antlers, legs and other parts are called prizes. I have absolutely no idea why people think that keeping animal parts makes them seem “better” and “richer” than others — it’s just a flex, much like owning a Rolex watch or an expensive pair of Jordans

Tiger hunting is bad (duh). Tigers are becoming extinct. Luckily, people are slowly fighting back. Do you want to do something? Are you like me and don’t want tigers to go extinct? Go to worldwildlife.org to donate now. Peace! Especially among tigers.