“Lost Land of the Tiger” on National Geographic

Patrick J. Kiger, in “Tigers in Crisis,” comments on how “the tiger is one of the most recognizable animals on the planet, a creature so magnificent and charismatic that it permeates our culture.” However, a problem has arisen because “as recently as 70 years ago, nine different subspecies of tigers roamed a territory stretching from eastern Turkey to Siberia. Today, three of those varieties—the Bali, Javan and Caspian tigers—are extinct, and the remaining six—Amur, Bengal, Indochinese, Malayan, South China and Sumatran—are in very serious trouble.” This is the exact reason for “Lost Land of the Tiger.”

In the video documentary recently aired on National Geographic channel entitled “Lost Land of the Tiger,” Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, Gordon Buchanan, Dr. George McGavin, and Steve Backshall all go to Bhutan in search of a healthy, thriving population of tigers. Currently, tigers are trapped in isolated areas causing isolated populations. In order for tiger populations to thrive, we need to connect isolated populations of tigers through corridors and in order to successfully save the tigers these isolated fragments must be brought together. According to the documentary, Bhutan, along the Himalayas, is the missing link; there are as few as 3000 tigers left.

This group of specialists uses various tactics to both track and photograph the mysterious tigers of Bhutan. Steve Backshall and big cat expert Claudia Wultsch for example, use a sniffer dog named Bruiser who is trained to find big cats by identifying their droppings or “scat.” Dr. Alan Rabinowitz uses the trustworthy remote, motion-activated cameras that can be set to record for ten seconds at a time when an animal crosses its path. These cameras are placed on tree trunks in logical places such as by a stream where prey may stop for water.

In order to judge whether or not there is a surviving population of tigers, the team must first conclude whether or not the tigers’ prospective prey is thriving in the current ecosystem. If the tigers’ prey cannot survive, then the tigers cannot survive and it will be labeled an unhealthy ecosystem. Thankfully, however, the team finds evidence that numerous examples of tiger prey live in the surrounding areas.

 Continuing their search, Gordon Buchanan is in charge of deciphering one local rumor to discover whether tigers have adapted to the environment and are now living at high altitude in the Himalayas. On his journey up the mountains, Gordon comes across a Yak carcass with a puncture wound to the neck which quite possibly could have been caused by a tiger’s canine. 

When Dr. Rabinowitz collects his motion-activated cameras from amongst the trees, he is pleased to discover that they prove the existence of at least two tigers walking the trails surrounding their camp site. So, it’s official. Tigers are in the forest of Bhutan! And the tiger reigns as King of the Forest!

Rabinowitz goes on to explain how the stripes along the sides of tigers are like a fingerprint pattern. It is important that Rabinowitz identifies different tigers because it will help distinguish whether there is a healthy population or not. Next, Rabinowitz gives testimony that Bhutan is the key to the Himalayan corridor: “If you think of the Himalayan corridor as a body, this really could be thought of as the heart pumping blood out throughout the entire body, much of the rest of the body is starting to die but this has the potential to not only keep it alive but to invigorate the rest of the body” –Alan Rabinowitz.

To add to their numbers, Gordon found proof on the motion-activated cameras that tigers DO live high up in the Himalayas; the cameras even captured a tiger scent marking. After all the time spent waiting, the cameras captured more than 30 tiger images/videos above 4000 meters in the Himalayas. Of those, there is certainty that there are at least two different adult tigers; one male and one female.

After gathering all of the pictures and data, the next step is for Dr. McGavin to present the team’s findings to Bhutan’s Prime Minister. Luckily, he seems willing to cooperate in order to save tigers; he believes tigers belong to future generations.

“Lost Land of the Tiger” highlights how important it is that the world knows Bhutan holds the key to protecting tigers and may even serve as a model for the rest of the world. The Himalayan corridor will help create the largest tiger reserve in the world, but the one requirement is for governments to work together. As of now, it seems as though surrounding governments are willing to cooperate for a shared purpose…“We will save tigers!”

*All photos from National Geographic

*All observations/facts from documentary, “Lost Land of the Tiger”

Animals of the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

“Japan is a nation of pet lovers and many families affected have lost animals, been forced to leave them behind or have taken them to evacuation centers where there is limited space, food and water” -WSPA

The WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals) is actively making a difference for the animal victims of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11, 2011. In the beginning of the disaster, WSPA monitored the situation from afar to strategize about exactly how to help. According to WSPA’s “Animals In Disasters” blog, Dr. Ian Dacre and Dr. Damian Woodberry started by signing up to join the “shelter cluster” set up by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Relief workers have brilliantly decided to set up the animal shelters beside the shelters housing their human parents. Seeing as the human victims are grouped together in shelters by neighborhood, it only makes sense to do the same with their pets.

Next, WSPA launched an appeal to help raise money for the care of Japan’s animals in the wake of such a disaster. WSPA aims to raise at least “$150,000 for Japanese animals to help cover the critical recovery period in the aftermath of the recent earthquake and tsunami.” The funds raised will go directly towards “the set up of 30 temporary shelters for pets via the Animal Disaster Response Team (ADRT), a coalition of local animal groups, including WSPA’s local member society, Japan Animal Welfare Society (JAWS).” And then any food and water needs will be coordinated by the ADRT.  

Additionally on the WSPA blog, it details the Disaster Assessment Needs Analysis (DANA) which “estimates that between 16,000 and 19,000 pets are affected in two of the worst hit regions alone.” Many other animals and livestock surrounding the Fukushima nuclear power station had to be abandoned due to immediate evacuation orders. The DANA concluded that “most owners took their pets to the evacuation centers, where they have remained since.” And because there are few lost or abandoned animals reported, the pets left behind are thought to have died in the tsunami.

During the DANA, there were approximately 350,000 people staying in evacuation centers and about 7-10% of people living in shelters have animals with them; therefore, in total, there are probably over 30,000 animals in need of the emergency shelters. As of March 25, WSPA aimed to establish 30 temporary emergency animal shelters. And on March 28, Dr. Damian Woodberry arrived in Japan to scout locations for the emergency animal shelters as well as look into possible suppliers for the materials to build them.

In addition to the 30 WSPA funded animal shelters, Japan’s Animal Disaster Response Team (ADRT) concluded that another 170 animal shelters are needed to continue to match the growing number of animals in need of temporary housing. The numbers continue to grow because while some human shelters allow animals, many do not, so people are resorting to tying their animals outside the shelters in bitter cold temperatures. Other animals stay a bit warmer inside their owners’ cars.

To further help the unclaimed animals, “Vets have also been micro-chipping and taking photos of stray pets, which are then posted on a common government website in hopes of reuniting owners with their lost pets.”

Returning Japan to its former self will be a journey lasting many years, but animals and their owners still need help right now. Food, medicine, and shelter are the primary concerns at the moment, which are getting more and more difficult to come by. Since numerous roads were damaged during both the earthquake(s) and tsunami it has been difficult for trucks to deliver emergency supplies. But, no matter what, the Japanese will not give up; bicycles are the new way of transporting supplies to hard-to-reach places.

Any donations whether it be money, food, water, medicine, or other materials, will definitely be appreciated. Here’s to hoping that every animal receives the best care possible and a safe place to recover.

*All quotes and information from WSPA’s Animals in Disasters blog