Siberian Tigers Are Disappearing: Here’s What’s Killing Them
Aditi Shekhar | Dec 13, 2025, 17:24 IST
As top predators in nature, tigers are known for their strength and dominance. They play a vital role as keystone species by keeping herbivore numbers in check and helping to prevent overgrazing within ecosystems. Their beauty and power have inspired people for generations, but these animals now face extinction, primarily because of human activity. Let us understand several human-led reasons behind their decline in number.
The Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is the largest subspecies of tigers. Siberian tigers are also known by several other names that reflect their regional habitats, including Amur tiger, Manchurian tiger, Ussurian tiger, Northeast China tiger, and Korean tiger. Unfortunately, only about 400 Siberian tigers remain over the past century, making them among the world's most endangered carnivores. Most wild Siberian tigers inhabit eastern Russia, with a few in northeastern China and Korea. Today, fewer than 50 remain in Russia and China.
Humans pose the greatest threat to the Siberian tiger
Humans are found to be one of the biggest cause behind their extinction. As the human population continues to grow rapidly, they demand for increased habitat and resources, eventually becoming a threat to the tigers to exist in peace. The Siberian tiger population is declining due to illegal poaching and retaliatory killings linked to conflicts between humans and tigers.
Tiger Extinction Linked to Korean Pine Deforestation
( Image credit : Pexels )
The other vital concern for the survival of the Siberian tiger in the wild is loss of habitat, deforestation being one of the reasons behind the decline in the population of the Siberian tiger. In Korea, cutting down Pine results in a massive threat to the species. Pine plays a great role in their survival because the nuts produced by the pine tree are a key food source for tigers’ prey. Protecting the Korean pine is crucial for the Siberian tiger's survival.
Chinese Medicine Fuels the Decline of Tiger Populations
( Image credit : Pexels )
Tiger parts have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine, with the nose thought to treat epilepsy and the tail believed to help with skin diseases, and nearly every body part is used to treat various other bodily issues. Turns out it’s not just the health but also the wealth that is driving the demand; Tiger bottle wine has become a luxury purchase among China’s elite class, where each bottle costs up to hundreds of dollars. It is believed that drinking the wine will help them gain the strength of a tiger. In 1993, China’s State Council officially banned the use of tiger bone in medicine. Following this, the government urged the Ministry of Public Health and pharmaceutical companies to find alternative remedies to replace tiger parts
For the Siberian tiger to survive in the wild and lose its endangered status, two things must occur, habitat loss must cease, and the use of tiger parts in traditional medicine must stop.
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Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)
- How close are tigers to extinction?
As per the survey , around 97 percent of the tiger population has disappeared over the last century. - Did Japan have tigers?
Yes, tigers once inhabited the lands of Japan during the Pleistocene era. - Why are tigers orange?
Their orange colour helps them blend into forests and tall grass, aiding in hunting prey.