Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) by Sunil Nair
With only around 5,500 tigers left in the wild, the tiger is in crisis.
“In the past 100 years, the tiger has lost more than 93% of its historic range and now only survives in scattered populations in 13 countries – from India to Southeast Asia, and in Sumatra, China and the Russian far east.”
This sobering message is from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which lists the species as ‘Endangered’.
Now, some of the world’s top wildlife photographers have collaborated on a book of images featuring the majestic animal’s five last remaining subspecies. Remembering Tigers is the ninth instalment of a fundraising series devoted to raising awareness of vulnerable and endangered species.
Working under the banner Wildlife Photographers United, the image-makers have together raised more than £1.1m, donated to 70 different conservation projects in 32 countries. This edition’s contributors include Sascha Fonseca, Chien C Lee, Nitish Madan and Steve Winter.
Here, they tell the story behind their images of five tigers facing possible extinction.
1. Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) by Nitish Madan
IUCN status: Endangered Range: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, western Myanmar and Nepal Population: 3,000-3,890 (stable/increasing)
“Having visited Ranthambhore National Park for over 15 years I held a long-standing aspiration to capture the essence of this majestic place in a single frame – a serene lake, an ancient fort, a regal tiger, all veiled in mist. It took more than a decade of patience and perseverance, but finally I was able to see my dream come to life through the lens of my camera.
“On a frosty December morning, as the first light of dawn broke, we ventured into the park, greeted by an intense cold and an ethereal blanket of dense fog shrouding our path. With limited visibility we proceeded cautiously and within moments we stumbled upon fresh tiger footprints – a thrilling sign of their presence nearby.
“Our excitement soared as our guide skillfully spotted not one but two tigers – sub-adult sisters, daughters of the famed Arrowhead, the revered ‘Lady of the Lakes’, who ruled these lands as the dominant female tiger. We followed them for a while as they were play-fighting, stalking, pouncing, climbing and exploring their wild home while their mum had gone hunting.
“Anticipating their movements I realised they would be headed for Padam Lake, an iconic site graced by the presence of a historic fort. I instantly asked my driver to steer us in that direction. My heart pounded with excitement as we neared the lake, and with bated breath, I observed one of the majestic girls gracefully walking toward the edge of the lake. My fingers were numb from the cold. It was the moment I had been waiting for as long as I could remember.
“In sheer disbelief I shook my head. Overwhelmed with emotion I raised my camera, determined to capture this extraordinary sight, a scene I had envisioned countless times in my mind’s eye – only this time it was with a tiger in the frame. It felt so unreal, as if it was a mystic dream with a tiger crossing our world.”
2. Indochinese tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti) by Steve Winter
IUCN status: Critically Endangered Range: China, east Myanmar and Thailand (recently lost in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos) Population: 150-200 (declining)
“I’ve spent 20 years documenting this magnificent animal [the tiger] for @natgeo. [It is] the largest of the big cats – and the most endangered. There are perhaps 4,000 left in the wild across their Asian range, with that number split among the five subspecies. India’s Bengals have the most hope, with about 2,300, meanwhile just a few hundred Indochinese, Siberian, Sumatran and Malay tigers remain.
“My tiger work has taken me to document tigers in Myanmar’s ‘Valley of Death’ – the Huakang Valley; across India from Kaziranga National Park in Assam to Central India Tiger Reserves, where Rudyard Kipling was inspired to write The Jungle Book; to see the last robust Indochinese tiger population in Western Thailand; and to Sumatra, Indonesia.
“Everywhere, the same threats face this iconic species – habitat loss, deforestation and poaching for a lucrative, growing trade in tiger skins and bones used in ‘tiger bone wine’, with China as the largest consumer, followed by Vietnam and Laos. This deadly commerce is driven by consumer demand – and masterminded by international cartels. When demand stops, so will the poaching of this beautiful cat.
“This pandemic has been a harsh reminder that our survival is inextricably linked to the health of the planet. Saving the large landscapes these animals inhabit will protect other animals that include seed dispersers and pollinators and will conserve forests that sequester carbon, mitigating climate change and providing clean water for us to drink and oxygen to breathe. So if we can save big cats we can help save ourselves.
“Seen here is my camera trap photo of a Sumatran tiger.”
3. Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) by Sascha Fonseca
IUCN status: Endangered Range: Eastern Russia, north-eastern China and Korea Population: 250-500 (stable or increasing)
“A male Siberian tiger, previously undocumented, triggered my camera trap in the fairy tale forests of the Russian far east. Honoured to name him, we chose ‘Leo’ for the distinctive L-shaped pattern on his left cheekbone, and in homage to the writer Leo Tolstoy.
“Now in its fourth year, my project aims to capture images of the world’s largest cat. The existence of wild Siberian tigers is nearly miraculous, with only 3-4% of their range protected by reserves. Habitat loss, logging, mining, poaching and a shrinking gene pool present ongoing threats to their survival.”
4. Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni) by Chien C Lee
IUCN status: Critically Endangered Range: Malaysia Population: Fewer than 100 (declining)
“A female Malayan tiger moves through the rainforest within a vital wildlife corridor linking two expansive reserves in northern Peninsular Malaysia. This image was taken as part of a long-term camera trapping project conducted in collaboration with the Tropical Rainforest Conservation & Research Centre.
“The project’s goal is to chronicle the diverse array of wildlife inhabiting a forest restoration zone. Despite its proximity to protected reserves, tigers in this region confront persistent dangers posed by poaching and vehicular collisions along the highway.”
5. Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) by Steve Winter
IUCN status: Critically Endangered Range: Sumatra Population: 173-883 (declining)
“A Sumatran tiger trips one of my remote camera traps set in a tropical rainforest in Aceh, Indonesia. This tiger sub-species is quite distinct in its appearance with a small ‘beard’ and mane – similar to a lion. It is also the smallest of the six extant tiger sub-species. Can you believe that there may be as few as 400 of these incredible animals left in the jungles of Sumatra?”
Remembering Tigers by Wildlife Photographers United is published by Remembering Wildlife at £49.50.
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