Tigers: Fighting Back 2010
Distributed by The Video Project, PO Box 411376, San Francisco, CA 94141-1376; 800-475-2638
Produced by Natural History New Zealand
Director n/a
DVD , color, 50 min.
Jr. High - Adult
Environmental Studies, Conservation, Biology, Science
Date Entered: 12/02/2010
Reviewed by Geetha Yapa, Science Library, University of California, RiversideTigers that roamed the wilderness across Asia from India to the Far East are in danger of becoming extinct. Wildlife experts estimate that the numbers of tigers living in the wild have gone down by 95 percent, from 100,000 a century ago to a few thousand currently isolated to 71 percent of their historical range. This film is about the efforts of conservationists working in partnership with scientists to save the remaining big cats from disappearing.
The film takes the viewer through the vast snow-covered forests of the Russian Far East to the tropical rainforests of India and Thailand, following the scientists and activists as they search for traces of tiger activity. Their goal is to get a better understanding of the animals’ behavior, ecology and feeding habits in order to develop innovative strategies to prevent further depletion of wild tiger populations.
Problems faced by the tigers are the same even though they live in entirely different habitats. They face the danger of being hunted and face similar hardships in order to survive due to loss of habitat and food sources. However, entirely different approaches are being taken in each country to save the few remaining tigers. In Russia, radio collared Siberian tigers are being monitored on the ground and from the air, while in India paw prints, excrement and camera traps are used to monitor their movement and availability of food sources. In Thailand, an effort to track illegal trade of tiger skin and body parts takes place inside a busy market in Bangkok, while field officers make an attempt to trace the elusive tigers as they make their way through the rivers that flow through the jungle.
In each country steps have been taken to tailor research and develop protective measures to save the tigers. Steps taken in each country from minimizing the conflict between people and tigers to entrusting Border Patrol Police with the duty of protecting the tigers in the dense jungles are documented, highlighting the commitment and hard work of those involved. The film discusses the importance of understanding the biology and feeding habits since the availability of food sources determine tiger distribution in the wild. It concludes on a positive note about the immense potential of increasing the number of tigers in the wild by ensuring the availability of food, space and protection.
Tigers: Fighting Back provides a glimpse to the hidden world of these magnificent animals. It is highly recommended for collections on wildlife, conservation and biology.
This video is one of the four part series On The Brink: Preserving Endangered Species.