Myanmar home to two of six endangered tiger species

Tigers are listed as an endangered species. There are currently six types of tigers that still remain, whereas two of them are found in Myanmar. The existence of these two types of beasts promotes the concerted efforts of wildlife conservation activities in the country.
The tiger is one of the most beautiful beasts in the world; they have orange and black stripes and lovely white coats with black stripes. There are nine different types of tigers around the world: Capasian tiger, Javan tiger and Bali tiger which were extinct, while the remaining six species living in 13 countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, Cambodia, Russia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Viet Nam.
The Bengal tigers currently reside in Myanmar’s largest tiger conservation areas: Hukong Valley Tiger Reserve and Htamathi Wildlife Sanctuary. The Sumatran tigers are seen in the Taninthayi Region, the lower part of Myanmar.
The Siberian tiger is considered to be the most giant tiger living in eastern Russia’s birch forests. The Siberian tiger weighs between over 600 pounds and 700 pounds. The second largest tigers are discovered in India, Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan, and they weigh between 400 lb and 600 lb. The third largest one is the Indo-China tiger species, weighing between over 300 lb and 400 lb. South China tigers live in the middle and east of the country, and they are over 280 lb and 300 lb. The Sumatran tigers are found on the island of Sumatra, and they are over 260 lb. Malayan tigers are spotted in the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests of the southern tip of Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia. They are between 104 lb and 285 lb.
About 100,000 tigers were in the world about 100 years ago. Over 1,000 tigers were killed, and there were only 3,600 tigers in 2010. The tiger population might keep falling in 2023, according to the survey. Russian President Vladimir Putin and World Bank President Mr Robert Zoellick organized the International Tiger Conservation Forum in Russia.
According to a survey by the Natural Environment and Wildlife Conservation Society, six types of tigers live in 13 countries in Asia. There are 355-500 tigers in Bangladesh, 70-80 tigers in Bhutan, 10-50 tigers in Cambodia, 85-96 tigers in China, 368-556 tigers in India, 7-23 tigers in Laos, 500 tigers in Malaysia, 35-70 tigers in Myanmar, 121 tigers in Nepal, 300 tigers in Russia, 200-250 tigers in Thailand and 50-150 tigers in Viet Nam.
The cameras are installed in the Htamathi Wildlife Sanctuary to survey the world’s rarest species of Bengal tigers yearly.
U Win Hlaing, a sanctuary warden, said, “Myanmar boasts Bengal tiger in upper part and Indo-China tiger in lower part out of six tiger species. The camera traps capture about 20 tigers in Htamathi. They might be in Hukong Valley and on Naga Hills. There are certain areas in which we cannot conduct the survey. We should all cooperate to conserve them as a national task as the tiger population declines. If the experts and locals watch them together, we can know the existence of two tiger species in Myanmar”.
Over 100 big cats are killed in the world every year, and over half of the global population of tigers is found in India. Myanmar is home to two tiger species, the Bengal tiger and the Indo-China tiger, out of six species. — Nyein Thu (MNA)/KTZH/ Photo: Kanu