Amur Tiger Bounces Back - Subspecies' Numbers Highest In 100 Years - Reuters

[hatrack]

MOSCOW - The Amur tiger, the world's biggest wild cat, has pounced back from the brink of extinction to hit its highest population level for at least 100 years, the WWF said on Thursday.

For generations hunters have tracked down and killed the tigers as trophies, for their brilliant gold and black fur or for the perceived healing qualities its crushed bones bring to traditional Chinese medicines. By the 1940s the sub-species had nearly died out and there were only around 40 surviving Amur tigers in its natural habitat in the frozen wilds of the Russian Far East.

Environmentalists had placed the beast, which can weigh eight times more than a human, on the danger list to follow the likes of the dodo -- a flightless Indian Ocean bird -- and other species into extinction.

But a Russian census this year showed there were 480 to 520 Amur tigers living on the remote edge of Siberia, meaning the total world population was about 600, said Alexei Vaisman, head of the Russia WWF's anti-animal trafficking programme. "Maybe in the mid 19th century there were more Amur tigers but nobody can say for sure," he told Reuters by telephone. "At one time the tigers were very close to being extinct."

EDIT

http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/41370/story.htm

[kestrel91316]

1. Good news in dark times......

[Cirque du So-What]

2. AKA the Siberian Tiger

I like to hear the rare success story, but I still keep my fingers crossed for their continued survival...and for every other species on the 'endangered' list.

[YankeyMCC]

3. Like the Bald Eagles

http://www.fws.gov/endangered/

I read this morning that the local State F&W depts were concerned about the planned federal delisting. They've generally made a good comeback but like you say the question is will there be continued prosperity at this point.

[depakid]

4. A magnificant animal