Prey loss can occur for two reasons either from habitat loss or over hunting, usually from humans (Meyer, 2013; WWF Tiger, 2020). Habitat loss and prey loss are interconnected but they are separate threats for this website because multiple tiger organizations claimed they are separate threats. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List has labeled at least 40% of tigers prey as threatened, with 50% of those prey species population declining (Wolf and Ripple, 2016). Prey loss poses a major threat to tiger survival (Wolf and Ripple, 2016).
Habitat loss affects 19% of prey species, while hunting for prey species affects 16% of prey (Wolf and Ripple, 2016). Habitat loss impacts the tigers prey species in similar ways that it affects tigers. When habitat is lost the prey species population begins to decline from being forced to move or die out as a result of loss of vegetation or not enough vegetation to support the population (Meyer, 2013; Panthera Threats facing the Tiger, 2020). As the prey population declines the tigers have less prey to hunt and can potentially follow their prey in terms of dying out and becoming locally extinct (Meyer, 2013; Wolf and Ripple, 2016). With no prey available, tigers will go outside of their territory and into villages and other human populated areas searching for food (Meyer, 2013). People tend to panic when they see a tiger and will kill it thinking it will keep them and their livestock safe (Meyer, 2013; Panthera, 2020). The threat of direct killing is considered poaching for this website.
Hunters are hunting tiger prey species which also declines the prey base population when overhunting occurs. In some areas a permit is required to hunt prey species, but not everyone follows the rules with the permit (MyCat The Tiger: Threats, 2019). Poaching does occur with prey species as well as with the tiger (MyCat The Tiger: Threats, 2019). When it comes to hunting prey species it is not always for meat, sometimes it is for body parts, medicine or ornaments (Wolf and Ripple, 2016).
A tiger can eat more than 80 pounds of meat in one sitting and visit the prey item multiple times over the next few days (WWF Tigers, 2020). Africa and Asia have higher rates of prey loss, leading to more carnivores, like tigers, to being endangered (Wolf and Ripple, 2016). Prey loss impacts tigers but it is also a problem in itself (Wolf and Ripple, 2016). You can help by not eating or hunting their prey species.
The organization Save China’s Tigers focuses on restoring and protecting China’s biodiversity to reintroduce the South China tiger (SCT The Project, 2020). The South China tiger is listed by the IUCN Red List as critically endangered with an unknown population, however the data was collected in 2008 so it is twelve years out of date (IUCN Tiger, 2020). This subspecies is believed to be extinct in the wild, although no official reports have been made. Save China’s tigers believes there are about 100 South China tigers that remain with most of them in captivity (SCT The Project, 2020). Their goals consist of breeding, rewilding, reintroducing and researching tigers while enhancing biodiversity (SCT The Project, 2020). They are a unique organization in that they have tigers in South Africa to help bring back tigers in China (SCT The Project, 2020). They chose South Africa because they were able to own a large amount of land, there is an abundance of prey species and they can learn and work on wildlife management skills (SCT The Project, 2020).
Watch the video below to learn more about the impact on prey loss for tigers.
W*Tiger in photograph is Cinta enjoying a frozen beef shank at the San Diego Zoo, taken by Helene Hoffman. You can visit her Flickr account.
Literature Cited
Meyer, A. (2013). Tigers: Loss of habitat. Tigers: The Most Majestic Cats in the World.
MyCat. (2019). The tiger: Threats. http://mycat.my/the-tiger-threats/
Panthera. (2020). Threats facing the tiger. https://www.panthera.org/cat/tiger
Planet Doc Full Documentaries. (2020, April 20). This is the great problem of tigers and their
worrying extinction worldwide [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVObnZ6OT1I
Save China’s Tigers. (2020). The Project. https://www.savechinastigers.org/about.html
Wolf, C. & Ripple, W.J. (2016, August 3). Prey depletion as a threat to the world’s large carnivores. Royal Society Open Science, 8. 10.1098/rsos.160252
World Wildlife Fund. (2020). Species: Tiger. https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/tigerhe video below to learn more about the impact on prey loss for tigers.