|
The Sumatran tiger is smaller than the Bengal tiger, with close set stripes, long cheek hair and a short mane. One of five subspecies of tiger, the Sumatran tiger is found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, and is extremely endangered. This is a solitary anmal, with the exception of courting pairs and females with offspring. The range of one male overlaps the smaller ranges of several females. Exclusive rights to the ranges are maintained by spraying urine plus anal gland secretions into bushes and rocks. Trees are scratched as signposts and feces is left in conspicuous places throughout the territory. The location of other tigers and the reproductive status of the females can be determined through these markings.
Shrinking Habitat, Poachers
"A shrinking habitat because of rapid human population growth, forest being cleared for plantations and illegal hunting are the reasons for the sharp decline," said Jansen Manansang, the park's managing director, who is also a coordinator for the national Sumatran Tiger Conservation Project. More
|
