Land Mammals, features and articles | Educational Science

Nov 16, 2010

Tiger Summit: What Will It Take to Save Iconic Cat?

In just a few days, the tiger will be center stage in St. Petersburg, Russia, as government leaders, advocacy groups and donor states from around the world gather for a meeting that is likely the first of its kind — a forum that may decide the ultimate fate of a...

Nov 16, 2010

Iconic Cats: All 9 Subspecies of Tigers

Sumatran Tiger (Image credit: © Iorboaz, dreamstime) Tigers are the largest members of the cat family (Felidae) and one of the most charismatic endangered species on the planet. Over the last century, tiger numbers have fallen by about 95 percent and tigers now survive in 40 percent less of the...

Nov 17, 2010

U.S. Lawmakers Introduce Resolutions to Support Endangered Tigers

As government representatives and advocacy groups from around the globe prepare to converge on St. Petersburg, Russia, for the world's first Tiger Summit, two U.S. lawmakers have introduced Congressional resolutions recognizing the importance of saving the iconic cats from extinction. In all, only about 3,200 tigers on the planet live...

Nov 19, 2010

'Last Chance for the Tiger,' Says World Bank President

World leaders, conservation groups and major donors are gearing up for a four-day conference to find a workable global strategy to rescue tigers from extinction. On the eve of next week's Tiger Summit in Russia, World Bank President Robert Zoellick spoke with reporters about the upcoming forum, hosted by Russian...

Nov 20, 2010

‘Last Chance for the Tiger,’ Says World Bank President

World leaders, conservation groups and major donors are gearing up for a four-day conference to find a workable global strategy to rescue tigers from extinction. On the eve of next week's Tiger Summit in Russia, World Bank President Robert Zoellick spoke with reporters about the upcoming forum, hosted by Russian...

Nov 22, 2010

Conservation Group Pledges Millions for Tiger Protection

On day two of the world's first Tiger Summit, now underway in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), a U.S.-based organization, announced it will funnel millions of dollars over the next decade into tiger protection efforts within the countries where the endangered cats live. In a statement to...

Nov 23, 2010

'Number Two' Could Help Count Endangered Tigers

According to some estimates, a mere 3,200 tigers live in the wild, and their numbers are quickly dwindling. Keeping tabs on their actual numbers is vital to conservation efforts, but can be a drain on the limited resources available for protecting tigers in the 13 Asian countries where the big...

Nov 23, 2010

Call of the Tiger: Actor DiCaprio Pledges $1 Million

As world leaders gather for a historic summit to save tigers from extinction, actor Leonardo DiCaprio today (Nov. 23) committed $1 million to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for urgent tiger conservation efforts. DiCaprio will attend this week's summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, alongside conservation groups, major donor organizations, and...

Nov 23, 2010

Why Don't Tigers Live in Africa?

If you're on safari in Africa and spot a tiger, it's definitely something to write home about. Tigers as we know them, you see, have never lived in the wild in Africa. But there's still a chance you could see one there. Let us explain. Lions, leopards and tigers are...

Jan 24, 2011

Wild Tiger Gets New Home in Nepal

A wild tiger has a new home this week after Nepalese authorities moved the animal from one national park to another. The transport of the highly endangered species was a first for the Asian country. Park staff captured the big cat in September 2010, when the injured tiger wandered into...

Jan 25, 2011

Tiger Numbers Could Triple With Proper Protection, Study Finds

The world's tiger population could triple from a mere 3,200 animals to more than 10,000 if the iconic cats have access to protected corridors and can roam freely between reserves, parks and other large regions they call home, new research asserts. Akin to a tiger interstate system that connects larger...

Feb 28, 2011

Amur Tiger Survival Looks Bleak

The future looks bleak for the critically endangered Amur tiger. About 500 of the big cats survive in the wild, but their effective population a measure of genetic diversity is fewer than 14 animals, according to a study in the journal Mammalian Biology, reported by the BBC. This means that...

Mar 29, 2011

Don't Call It a Comeback: Tigers On the Rise

There are currently 1,706 tigers in India, according the country's government, up from 1,411 in 2007 the year of the last tiger census. A tiger reserve called the Sundarbans, which contains 70 tigers, was included in the count for the first time. Even without the inclusion of the Sundarbans tigers,...

Apr 19, 2011

Endangered Tigers Find a Wild New Home

Kazakhstan has announced plans to open its arms to a group of oversized, furry immigrants from neighboring Russia — endangered Amur tigers. A vast land of sprawling steppes (the flat and open land that covers huge swathes of central Asia), Kazakhstan was once home to Caspian tigers, one of the...

Apr 20, 2011

San Diego Zoo's Tiger Cubs Open Their Eyes

A pair of 2-week-old Malayan tiger cubs at the San Diego Zoo opened their eyes over the weekend. The unnamed male cubs can see only shadows right now. They make soft chuffing noises, sleep most of the day and nurse when awake. The 7.7-pound cubs scoot around the tiger's den...