More tigers in captivity than in the wild, new report highlights
Report also reveals how captive tigers in private ownership, zoos and circuses in Europe are traded, bred and exploited.
www.aljazeera.com
So apparently private collectors in the United States and Europe have 7000 and 1600 Tigers in captivity, while there are just under 4000 left in the wild (with most of those being in India). And who knows what the stats are for countries in East Asia and the like. While the report cited discusses Europe mostly, the widespread abuse, exploitation and often harvesting of Tigers and other 'exotic animals' is touched upon in regards to America as well. The problem isn't just limited to the exploitation and breeding of animals in captivity either, but also still being used to fuel a demand for wild animals as well. Plus the ongoing issues of captive animals largely incapable of being rehabilitated into the wild.
‘Europe’s second-class tigers’
www.four-paws.us
I'm no expert on animals in general, but it does seem weird to me just how sprivate collections of 'exotic animals' that are often big and dangerous and clearly in the category of incapable of being domesticated are so pervasive in the United States and apparently Europe as well. And I'm not talking about Wildlife Sanctuaries or keeping cool Spiders or reptiles or snakes or something either (though having yuge Nile Monitor Lizards and Burmese Pythons in the Florida Everglades is an issue as well). Is there some sort of upside I'm missing here? I didn't have any interesting in watching Tiger King so I have no expertise on this issue.