What is the status of the Chinese Tigers in zoos?
The current condition is not very promising. Some experts claim that the tigers in zoos in China would eventually die out by the year 2010 if we do not take effective steps. The estimated 60 tigers live in several zoos. Each zoo does not really have sufficient numbers thus it is unavoidable for reproduction to take place between close relatives. The consequence of this worsening phenomenon is that some disadvantaging traits in the tigers’ genes will unite and become obvious. What is worse, when being raised in artificial ways, we supply the tiger with better living conditions, we make it possible for those tigers with disadvantaged genes to survive and thus pass on such genes by taking good care of them. The following generation may suffer from deformity or poor intelligence. The tiger will inevitably die out if its generations are becoming weaker and weaker. Now the survival rate of the tiger cub is already too low. Besides, the space provided for the Chinese tiger in the zoo is very
