Have you ever watched an agile tiger pouncing on its target? What a sight of beauty! But have you ever imagined how much important they are to our whole environment? Our survival depends on their safe existence. They are indeed brave and powerful. In the ancient cultures of eastern Asia, they are regarded as a deity.
Tigers are always taken to be acrobatic. But what makes them distinguished from the other wild cats is their appearance too. Their stripes helped the martial forces to hide in the bushes and trees.
This article will cover 15 reasons why tigers are important on our Earth. It will be a tribute to this swift, spellbinding and strong creature.
15 Benefits Of Tigers For The Earth’s Environment
The species of tiger is endangered in modern times. They are poached and also smuggled. As they are essential for our ecosystem, their plunder puts a question mark on the whole of humanity. They have as much a right to live in their specific territory as humans.
This article will cover 15 reasons why tigers are important on our planet. It will surely create awareness about the conservation of this mesmerizing wild cat.
1. Tigers Maintain The Ecosystem
Tigers play a crucial role in balancing the planet’s ecosystem. They prey on herbivores resulting in the control of natural prey populations. It in turn leads to the balance of the forest vegetation which the herbivores feed upon. This food chain is essential in highlighting the importance of the conservation of tigers.
2. Tigers Regulate Global Climate
Tigers and the landscape they live in provide significant benefits to the climate. They help in regulating the carbon dioxide when they eat the herbivores.
Plants absorb carbon dioxide which is a greenhouse gas adding to global warming. The plants soak up this gas and the tigers help lessen the climate change by consuming the plant-eating animals.
3. Tigers Protect Other Wildlife
The landscapes of tigers are also home to a wide number of other animals than just the enigmatic big cat. It is estimated that more than 30 % of the Asian population of elephants exists within tiger habitats. These landscapes include India, Bhutan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Nepal. If we protect tigers, it will subsequently lead to the conservation of the other animals and plants too.
4. Tigers Are Important For Purer Water
A large number of people depend on water from places where tigers exist. Water is essential in multiple ways. It is important for agriculture, production of energy, industry, and domestic needs. If the forests are protected, it would lead to bring about cleaner water. It would mitigate the number of remains reaching streams, rivers, and other water reservoirs.
Related Video – Tigers 101
5. Tigers Protection Brings About Financial Benefits
Saving the tigers would reap multiple financial advantages. Tiger protection provides sustenance to human life. It saves fish nurseries and ensures fertile agricultural lands. They play their role in maintaining water for irrigation. The generation of jobs is made possible by reserving these big cats. Moreover, the protection of their habitats can produce fodder, bamboo, and fuelwood.
6. Tigers Act As A Source of Medicine
The organs of the tiger have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for ages. The bones of the tiger treat several diseases. They include malaria, typhoid, ulcers, burns, and dysentery. Restoration of energy is made possible through the parts of the tiger. Chinese used skulls, sinews, meat, and blood in making potions and even wine.
7. Tigers Add To The Beauty Of The World
The swift chase of a tiger to pounce on its prey has been a sight of beauty for humans. Their physique is agile and acrobatic. They appear attractive in appearance too. Their orange skin and uneven black stripes combined with a white area on the chest, neck, and inside of the legs invite awe and admiration.
8. Tigers Ferocity Adds To The Awe Of The World
Tigers’ appearance is ferocious and terrifying. Tigers have strong jaws and teeth. Their paws are soft and heavily packed. But the claws are very sharp. They use them to bite the neck of the prey. They mainly feed on herbivores like deer, antelopes, and buffalo. The ruthlessness of the tiger brings comparison with the barbaric spirit in humans also.
9. Tigers Skin Used As Best Camouflage
Tiger’s stripes make them capable of acting as camouflage. It makes them difficult to be visible when they hid in the trees and shrubs of the jungle. The uniforms of the commandos are influenced by the tiger. The natural print on the skin of the tigers has been adopted by the armed forces to disguise themselves in the jungle.
10. Tigers Represent Meditation
Tigers represent mysticism and meditation in the eastern world. As this predator focuses completely on the prey, it serves as an emblem of spiritual reflection. The hermits concentrate their minds for a period of time like a tiger. It makes them aware of their spiritual power and depth.
11. Tigers Are Symbol Of Cultural Heritage
Saving tiger habitats contributes to the protection of cultural and traditional heritage. This predator is worshipped in different ancient cultures. Historically, the tiger is a Chinese cultural symbol. In their culture, people born in the year of the Tiger are considered courageous, powerful, and sympathetic. The tiger stands for the greatest earthly power.
Like the tigers, the culture of respecting the sanctity of life is also diminishing quickly. Their conservation will ultimately draw the boundaries between the tigers and the humans. It is significant to give them the right over their own territory.
12. Tigers Are Strong Mythological Creatures
Tigers have been held for centuries as a mystic power, bravery, and solitary living. The ancient cultures of China, India, and Japan have employed tigers in their folklore and myths. The tiger is one of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs. They stand for royal status in eastern Asia and are called the ‘King of the Animals’. They are also the national animals of Malaysia, Bangladesh, and India.
13. Tigers Are Brave Symbolic Beings In Literature
Tigers have captivated the artists and writers of the East for centuries due to their strength and power. But the Westerns hated this predator for a long time. Rudyard Kipling created the vicious tiger, ‘Sher khan’ in his famous novel ‘The Jungle Book”. It was Blake who paid tribute to this mesmerizing wild cat in his famous poem ‘The Tyger’. It represents energy, imagination, and creativity in this poem.
While Adrienne Rich has used the image of a tiger in her poem “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers”. Tigers symbolize male cruelty in this poem.
14. Tigers Bring Harmony To The Opposites
Tiger is a necessary being in the scheme of the universe. They bring harmony and balance to the opposites. On one hand, the meekness and kindness of the lamb are significant. On the contrary, the wrath and ferocity of a tiger are essential to survive in this ruthless world. Both are crucial to creating a balance of power.
15. Tigers Are A Sign Of Wealth
The skin of the tiger is used to decorate traditional dresses for ages. It was regarded as a symbol of luxury. The bones, claws, and teeth of tigers are always in demand in China as these are hugely trafficked illegally. Chinese elite uses their skin to embellish their homes. It results in a threat to the tigers. Ultimately, it endangers the whole ecosystem.
The Importance Of Tiger – Conclusion
Humans take tigers in contradictory terms. It has an aura of beauty, swiftness, and power. But it is also taken as a ferocious predator who can devour its prey within a moment. In fact, here lies the charm of this charismatic animal. You must possess its bravery and fearlessness to survive in this harsh world.
References
- https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/4-unseen-benefits-of-protecting-tigers-and-their-habitat
- https://tigers.panda.org/why_tigers
- https://defenders.org/wildlife/tiger
Hello, I am Humaira Ahsan. I have done Mater’s in English literature. Writing articles on various topics has become my passion. I love to learn and grow every moment. Hard work is my motto of life.
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