HeWhoWalksWithTigers on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/hewhowalkswithtigers/art/Staring-Death-in-the-Face-78786138HeWhoWalksWithTigers

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Staring Death in the Face

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This is Tatiana, an Amur (Siberian) tigress with cubs at the Toronto Zoo.

What is interesting is that...well...she hates me. I hate to say it, but it is what I've concluded after several visits with her. Every time I have come to visit her she has seen me, growled, hissed and showed her long teeth. At first, I thought it was just an issue regarding my clothing choice ([link]). However, my subsequent visits told me otherwise.

Now she has cubs and she shows her dislike for me even more intensely. She will see me and not only will she show the warning signs above, but she now lunges at the glass where I am standing ([link] , [link] ). Needless to say, if that glass were not there, she would have killed me in a second. People may feel tough behind glass and fences, but they should respect the incredible power of these animals. It is both terrifying and awe-inspiring.

I'm would imagine she might do this to others as well, but what is interesting is that even with a crowd of over 2 dozen, if I'm in sight she'll single me out (much to the delight of the other zoo-goers). This has happened with wolves and cheetahs as well (though the cheetahs were more friendly than aggressive).

Well...what can I say. I'm a little disappointed that I would have that effect on a tiger. The other tigers I meet generally have neutral to favorable opinions of me and even major zoo tigers (who by all rights should ignore me) will occasionally chuff at me when I do it to them.

Some people might respond to something like this with anger or disrespect for the animal. After all, people go to zoos preoccupied with the idea that the animals are supposed to like them. However, I see it as further proof of how amazing this species is.

The tiger is a legendary mother and there are very few things more terrifying than the power and courage shown by one defending her cubs. From this tiger's perspective, I was taller and thus, much larger than she was. Yet, at the same time, she had no hesitation to stand between me and her cubs and go on the attack.

The virtue of the tiger is most certainly courage. I have experienced it for myself. This animal deserves tremendous respect.

---

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.
Image size
800x600px 511.22 KB
Make
SONY
Model
DSC-H7
Shutter Speed
10/2000 second
Aperture
F/8.0
Focal Length
9 mm
ISO Speed
100
Date Taken
Feb 16, 2008, 12:48:00 PM
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Comments17
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NDG101's avatar
what,u took this pic?