Blog Topic Number 3

     I wanted to choose this issue because although it is one I have heard a relatively large amount about, it is still one that interests me and many others. It is a major event happening right now, as the video says at the beginning the number of these tigers in the wild areas of Southeast Asia has dropped by more than 70 percent in the last decade.  In 1998 there were an estimated 1,200 in the wild, which is a small number itself really, but compared to the estimated 350 today, this is a true tragedy.  The source of the problem the World Wildlife Federation and National Geographic claim is the deliberate hunting of these animals even out of special reserves created to help sustain their population for use of their body parts in traditional medicine or cultural ceremonies, or even to be sold to tourists.  In late 2010 leaders from the regions tiger containing nations met to discuss further protection of the animal against poaching and other illegal removal of these tigers and I personally hope they are successful. 
     As I said before I think this issue is a major one and that it would be devastating to the world to lose this species all together.  Drastic steps need to be taken to bolster the population if these animals.  This tells me a few things about the region such as increasing population having an impact on the native animal populations, as well as the cultural differences from here to there, where tiger parts are poaches for ceremonies and medicines.  Although the culture and human development in this region are unchangeable for the most part, in some way and exception needs to be made here, and I can only hope the leaders in the region band together to support this cause.