Are Chinese responsible for the dwindling number of tigers in the world?

Less than 4000 tigers are left in the wild whereas at least 8000 tigers are estimated to be held across more than 200 tiger farms in East and Southeast Asia. If we look at the numbers, that’s double of the tigers left in the wild. Most of the tigers are kept captive in China.  A small number of these tigers are also kept in circuses, zoos, and backyard enclosure.

It’s not that these farms are working to help these tigers from extinction. They have their selfish interests in it. Here the tigers which are fed and bred in the farms have a special purpose, it is to supply body parts to the traditional medicine industry.

The tigers in these farms are the commodities to be slaughtered and sold off for profit.
These tiger breeding centers were started in China in the mid-1980s and the motive to start this was to reduce poaching but conservationists feel that these farms have aggravated the situation. Now the situation is that they are stocking the animals in the farms.

Each and every body part of the tiger is used for different purposes like bones are used for wine or medicinal paste, the skin is used for furniture upholstery, wall hangings, rugs, teeth may be set in gold and turned into jewelry. Moreover having a tiger product is related to social status in China and Vietnam.

These farms are posing a serious threat to the tiger population of the world. Strict action should be taken to stop the illegal trade of tigers. They should be kept in the wild and should be saved from extinction.