*Update: It's come to my attention that Tonghua here has recently passed away. He was 17, which is considered old age for a tiger and during that time he helped bring the plight of his species to many guests. He will definitely be missed.

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The Year of the Tiger has begun under the Chinese zodiac and a big Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) at the Toronto zoo shares with you a toothy tiger smile! May all of you have a prosperous new year, whether or not you celebrate.

As a tiger myself (surprising, I know...I'm a fire tiger), I felt it prudent to share with some facts about what the zodiac says about us. Frighteningly accurate, if I may say so!

Chinese Horoscope - The Tiger:

Years: 1902, 1914,1926,1938,1950,1962,1974, 1986, 1998, 2010

Famous Tigers: Sun Yat Sen, Queen Elizabeth II, Emily Dickinson, Isadora Duncan, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Marilyn Monroe, Marco Polo, Beatrix Potter, Karl Marx, Ludwig van Beethoven, Steve Irwin

Description: Tigers are fond of competitions. They simply cannot pass up a challenge. They may appear cool and are unpredictable, and it would be unwise to underestimate their reactions. Natural leaders, they have a strong sense of their own dignity. They are intelligent, alert, and farsighted. Good strategists and tacticians, they often have a hidden agenda. As long as they do not risk their luck too often, keep their restless nature under control, they will enjoy success and happiness.

People born in the Year of the Tiger are straightforward and uninhibited in nature. They will never give up no matter how frustrated they may become, but they are also full of suspicion and may sometimes make hasty decisions.

They must be aware of how they react to and are affected by the consequences of their tempers. They should take it easy and learn to pace themselves to keep active longer and to prevent early burnout. They are blessed with flexibility and often recover quickly from illness or pain.

Some people born in the Year of the Tiger are gentle and full of sympathy. They are kind, love babies. Others can be stubborn and selfish. Generally speaking, people born in the Year of the Tiger are fond of playing, and full of enthusiasm and sentiment. Some are mercurial. They can laugh happily one moment, and cry the next. They are be optimistic, but can lose heart in a second.

People born in the Year of the Tiger take pride in being different to others, and generally illustrate their originality best in their homes. Their homes are usually filled with exotic treasures. They are fast learners, need challenge and often work alone. Some tend to change careers more often because they get bored easily. They are natural born leaders and perform best if working towards positions of power and influence. They like to spend money, and also to share it. They can be quite impulsive spenders because they know they can always make more.

It is interesting that their two main features are rashness and hesitation, a pair of contradictions. If they know how to relax and do things according to the situation, they can become quite successful.

Tigers are incredibly sexy people, beautiful to most people and sensually romantic. They are spontaneous lovers who never lose their creative spark or flare for an evening of passion. They offer their partner a hint of danger and exhibit a curiosity for the unknown.



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Tigers are the largest of the big cats and are exclusively found in Asia from India to Vietnam, from Indonesia to the Russian Far East. The tiger can be divided into 9 subspecies: 4 are currently critically endangered and 3 are already extinct. Though estimations of tiger populations only a few years ago was 5,500-6,000, today populations are likely closer to 3,500 and are still declining. Dramatic declines of the tiger in India, thought to host the majority of the world's tigers, have fallen to less than 1,411. Overall, the past decade has seen a 40% reduction in tiger habitat, which now represents a mere 7% of its historic range. Poaching is a significant problem throughout the tiger's range, the demand for its body parts in traditional medicines, tonics, and exotic dishes driving a lucrative trade that is wiping out entire populations. Long-term threats include habitat fragmentation and prey depletion, which is accelerating the tiger's demise and subsequently reducing the long-term genetic viability of many populations.

If you want to help, the best for you to do is to educate yourself ([link]), never buy products made from tigers or endangered species ([link]), and tell others. Contact me for more information.