HeWhoWalksWithTigers on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/hewhowalkswithtigers/art/Hug-a-Pumpkin-265296019HeWhoWalksWithTigers

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Hug a Pumpkin

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Description

Nikolei and Petrushka, two Amur tiger cubs (Panthera tigris altaica) at Jungle Cat World, are introduced to a pumpkin for Halloween and don't quite seem to be sure what to do with it.

Naturally, having an odd orange thing in the middle of your enclosure is bound to pique your interest. For tigers, one would expect that they would immediately begin tearing it apart. However, both Nikolei and Petrushka decided to be much more subtle. Both of them laid around the pumpkin, grabbing it, sniffing it, licking it...perhaps seeing if it was edible. Pumpkins are great for tigers since they can use their claws and teeth against its relatively soft form to their heart's content. I don't think these two have quite gotten the hint yet.

Perhaps they're trying to decide what kind of jack-o-lantern pattern they want?

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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 3,200 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.

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Image size
800x632px 510.71 KB
Make
SONY
Model
DSC-H7
Shutter Speed
10/3200 second
Aperture
F/4.0
Focal Length
21 mm
ISO Speed
100
Date Taken
Oct 27, 2010, 3:42:34 PM
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Comments61
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fotiaxfurryxcatclan's avatar
ADORABLE! I LOVE Amur tigers.