Tigers: The Largest Living Cat

Most animals are adorable when they are young. A baby tiger looks so cute and cuddly. At that age they require a couple bottles of milk. Four years later, at five hundred pounds, they require thirty to fifty pounds of meat per day. Many people don’t realize when they get a tiger cub that this much food will be required each day. This would be quite expensive to supply so much food each day. The huge expense of keeping them fed is just one reason they should not be kept in captivity. Not only is there the expense of their daily diet, there is the expense of housing, fencing, and maintenance. The average person is not

Many people do not realize that keeping a wild animal is extremely difficult and expensive, and owning one requires much of preparation and investment. Susan Tepper owns large wild cats for use in magic shows in Las Vegas, Nevada. She said that each of their adult tigers can eat as much as 50 pounds of meat each week, and that she spends $6,000 worth of food and vitamins per tiger (Scholastic News/Weekly Reader Edition 3). That’s about the same amount an adult person might eat each in a year, and it is also a health hazard for the Teppers since there are pounds of raw meat lying all around her kitchen. If Susan spends about $6,000, she must spend even more on cages, land, and other necessities for her tigers. Like

Tigers are amazing creatures that have gone through several evolutionary changes from the beginning of their species. A modern day tiger is most recognizable for their pattern of dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. The largest modern day tiger in record was eleven feet tall and weighed 387 pounds. In the terms of science tigers are under the classification of roaring tigers and the scientific name of a tiger is Panthera tigris. But in order to learn about about the evolutionary changes of the tigers of today; it is important to look at the the core definition of evolution itself and the history of the adaptations that lead to the modern tiger. The adaptation of various ancestors shaped the outcome

We have written this paper to gain insight on lions in captivity and establish the differences between lions in the wild and in zoos. The paper will focus on the mental, behavioural and physical effects, while also stating how zoos are involved in conservation.

In the article, “The Stripes will Survive,” by Jacqueline Adams, the author explained what zoos have done to prevent the extinction of animals. The article was about Siberian tigers in Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and what the zoo has done to protect them. According to the article, “The members of the Tiger SSP teach the public about the plight of tigers and do research. They keep a computerized family tree of zoo tigers that

The topic of the treatment of captive animals in both zoos and aquariums is one of high controversy. It is argued that the capturing and breeding of wildlife, holding them in captivity may present them with unnecessary risks. This however is dependent on the species of animal.

The main threat to the tiger population are humans. Between hunting them and habitat destruction the Bengal tiger has been on the endangered species list for over fifty years. Tigers were often hunted as trophy animals or for for body parts as some cultures believed them to have medicinal properties. The tiger has been added to several government policies have been passed in order protect endangered species and their habitats. A few of the policies that protect tigers are: The U.S. Endangered Species Act, the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, n.d.). Bengal Tigers are not only threatened by hunting but also habitat destruction that results from pollution, climate change and urbanization. In response to this Bengal tigers are sometimes kept in zoos, sanctuaries, and wildlife parks as a conservation method. According to studies done, tigers in captivity can show stress, abnormal behavior, and other unwanted conditions (Sajjad, Farooq, Anwar, Khurshid, & Bukhari, 2011). Despite the difficulties that come with trying to conserve a species it is worth the effort to protect biodiversity. Protecting endangered animals is in line with the Christian Worldview because it is protecting God's precious creatures. Christians should want to protect an innocent creature that is being victimized. Aside from the

While many people think that animals are safe at zoos and privately owned farms it's far from the truth. In 2011, nearly 50 animals died when their owner left open their cages before he shot himself. Eighteen tigers, seventeen African lions, six black bears, two grizzly bears, two wolves, and a baboon were killed by police officers who deemed the animals to be a danger to the community (Wild at Home). Instances like these show that private owners don’t put their animals’ well-being first. Exotic animals like chimpanzees and tigers shouldn’t be kept as pets because many of them suffer due to the substandard care that is given to them by private owners, many of them pose a threat not only to their owners but to their community, and many of them carry multiple diseases that are transmittable to humans.

For several generations, animals have been entertaining humans. From sitting in zoo exhibits to being paraded around in flashy circuses, animals, especially exotic ones, have drawn large audiences. A close look at a ferocious lion or a dancing elephant wearing a headdress is often what captivates people, since these spectacles are often unusual and fascinating. However, for lions to be viewed up close and elephants to dance, they must be held captive and trained for desired behavior. This captivity and training raises a question: is captivity detrimental to global animal ecology and health? Many animal activists claim that captivity is abusive, but animal entertainment organizations, such as zoos, circuses, and animal theme parks, promote environmental health through ecological education of children and adults as well as funding research for conservation.

Over the centuries, wild animals have always fascinated humans. As a result, wild animals have been put on display, but the logistics of these displays have changed throughout the years to resemble zoos humans now visit (Rutledge et al, 2014). Enclosures were once very small and did not provide the opportunity for stimulation that the animals need. There has been a shift from small, sterile enclosures to larger, more natural enclosures (Shepherdson, 1998). This change in the care of captive animals was caused by an interest in studying the animals (Shepherdson, 1998). Studies have revealed the importance of providing captive animals with an environment in which behaviors typical of the captive species, when in the wild, can be exercised in the enclosures in which they are housed (Shepherdson, 1998). By mimicking a natural habitat, scientists are able to observe more natural behavior. If enrichment is not provided, stereotypic behavior such as pacing, aggression, and abnormal behavior, may occur. In order to discourage these stereotypic behaviors, zoologists have begun implementing enrichment programs to stimulate the captive animals to exhibit more natural behaviors (Swaisgood and Shepherdson, 2005).

Lions, tigers, wolves, reptiles, non-human primates belong in their natural habitat and not in the hands of private individuals as pets. When in the hands of private individuals the animals suffer due to poor care.

The question of humanity arises every couple of years, on the topic - should exotic animals be allowed to be kept as pets. Is it humane for the beings who feel pain, give birth, take care of their young like human beings do to be behind bars? According to the National Geographic 66 percent of wild animals are owned privately while the 28 percent of the animals reside in the zoo. Some of the exotic animals can be found as pets rather than in the wild. The estimated number of Tigers kept as pets are between 5,000 and 7,000, which is more than the ones that exist in the wild. Interested buyers can purchase a tiger cheaper than some of the purebred dogs, for the price as shocking as 300 dollars. Though some states in the United States do allow wild animals as pets, it is still illegal in most states or require a license for it. Most of the animals as pets are through illegal routes like underground auctions and smuggling.

The behavior of different species of wildlife which are brought into the circus industry also varies, and they therefore require different living conditions. Observing the natural behavior of tigers versus lions illustrates this fact. Unlike tigers, which have a mainly solitary existence, lions are very social, and are really the only big cats which display this characteristic (Whitney). Furthermore, elephants have yet another type of lifestyle, and “form deep family bonds and live in tight matriarchal family groups” (Whitney). By looking at just these few select animals, one can see that they all require different treatment based on their natural predilections. Tigers may be comfortable to exist in solitude with the circus, but a lion would be more accustomed to travelling with his pride, not alone, a sentiment which would be shared my an elephant used to being with a family. Moreover, separate from their preferences for company, both tigers and lions are extremely territorial and are usually in charge

1. From reading this summary of tiger ecology, what aspects of the tiger’s environment need to be recreated in a zoo environment?

on is education. While their unskilled labour forces were getting more expensive and they thus had to outsource these activities to lower-waged countries, the population had to do something in order to maintain their high living standards. Due to these investments in especially higher technical education the Tiger economies now have a highly skilled labour force and they will continue to invest more into this.