Indochinese Tiger – Panthera tigris corbetti
The Indochinese Tiger is found in areas of Vietnam, Thailand, China, and Cambodia. Full grown the weigh from 330 to 430 pounds for the males and 290 pounds for the females. They are also known to grow to be about 8-10 feet in length.
It is difficult to find these tigers as they tend to live up very high in the mountains in isolated areas. That doesn’t mean they aren’t in jeopardy though because that just means people have to try harder to find them. Many hunters find this additional challenge to be what thrills them and entices them to go on such hunts. These remote areas also mean it is harder for them to get busted by authorities for illegal killing of the Indochinese Tigers.
The stripes on this particular species of tiger are very narrow compared to those of other species. You will also notice that they have a more vibrant orange color to them. They are often mistaken for the Bengal Tiger so these differences can help you to tell them apart easier.
In wild life, the number of Indochinese tigers isn’t over 350! Many areas of China continue to fight to breed them and to protect them but their efforts are often in vain. This is due to the high amount of money that can be made due to the demand for them in China.
Indochinese Tiger – Panthera tigris corbetti / Photo taken by Kabir Bakie
The Indochinese Tiger is in grave danger due to high levels of poaching. There is also the fact that their bodies are used to make many different types of medicine in China. The bones are ground up into powder that they claim offers the healing properties that have kept their people alive and recovering for centuries. There is no changing the minds of those with such a powerful belief in the early legends and ways of the people.
The fact that most of the habitat where the Indochinese Tiger lives isn’t explored by humans means that we know less about them than many other types of tigers out there. They have moved into the higher areas of the mountains because of their other habitats being taken over by humans. In recent years biologists have been granted permission to come to this area and to explore this tiger in more detail. However, the process for this happening has been slow moving due to political red tape.
There is no mistaking that huge endeavors must be undertaken if the Indochinese Tiger is going to be able to survive. There are many programs in place right now to protect them in their natural habitat. However, they still fall victim to hunters, poachers, and even ranchers that see them as a huge threat to their own agenda. In Cambodia this is a huge problem due to people not having many other ways to make a living. They are going to hunt the tigers because they can make a great deal of money for their families this way.
There are also protective programs in captivity where the Indochinese Tiger is able to live without any threats. The goal here is to keep them safe and to help them reproduce. The mating is very selective by humans though to help ensure that the genetic pool doesn’t get too shallow. However, if there aren’t changes made to protect them this isn’t going to matter.
