Turn Off The Lights and Save A Tiger

Turn Off The Lights And Save A Tiger
You can protect tigers simply by switching off the lights. This may sound strange, but it is actually
true. An everyday action that helps us save energy can also help save an endangered species.
How does this work? Let’s take a look.
A species in danger
Tigers, one of the world’s largest feline species, have long been the kings of Asia’s forests. Despite
being the dominant predators of their habitats, they move silently and remain unseen most of the
time. Imagine how ancient people must have felt when encountering tigers in the wild! It iss no
surprise that tigers have been feared and worshipped by humans for centuries, standing as
symbols of power and courage. The fact that ancient rock paintings feature images of tigers
shows how closely tigers have been related to humans throughout history.
At one time, tigers were found all across Asia, from Korea to Turkey. However, the world’s tiger
population has been shrinking rapidly. Illegal hunting and habitat loss are the main reasons
behind this decrease. At the start of the 20 th century, it was estimated that there were
approximately 100,000 wild tigers. In recent years, however, three of the nine subspecies of tiger
have become extinct. In fact, it is now estimated that there are fewer than 4,000 tigers living in
the wild. Some experts even predict that the last of the world’s wild tigers will disappear within
the next 10 years.
Our Interconnected world
It would be very sad if there were no more wild tigers. Would it really matter, though? After all,
we could still see them in zoos or watch programs about them on TV. Shouldn’t we be more
worried about protecting human beings? The fact is, however, that we need to protect tigers in
order to protect ourselves. This is because all of Earth’s species are interconnected. Think about
what would happen if tigers became extinct. Existing at the top of the food chain, they maintain
the populations of animal 니 소됴 prey on, such as deer and boar. Without tigers, these species
would rapidly increase in number. As a result, their food source, vegetation, would begin to
disappear. This would cause birds and insects to lose their homes, and bigger animals that prey
on them would soon run out of food. Eventually, the entire ecosystem would be affected. Humans
are no exception, as we rely on nature for everything we need to survive, including air, food, and
water. This is how the disappearance of a single species can threaten the whole planet.
Now imagine what would happen if we made the effort to save tigers. Tigers are considered an
“umbrella species.” This is an ecological term referring to species that live in a large area
containing a variety of different ecosystems. If we choose to protect these species, we must
conserve their habitat. As a result, the other species that share this habitat, including trees and
insects, are protected too, as if there were a large umbrella being held over them.
Small Efforts With Big Results
Now, it is obvious that we must protect tigers. You may, however, still wonder how switching off
the lights helps. Well, the lights in our homes require electricity, and more than half of the world’s
electricity is created by burning fossil fuels. When fossil fuels are burned, carbon dioxide is
released into the air, and this contributes to climate change. Climate change has a number of
negative effects, including rising sea levels that threaten many parts of the world. One of these
places, called the Sundarbans, is an area on the coast of Bangladesh inhabited by a large number
of tigers. If Earth’s oceans continue to rise, this area could be wiped out and its tiger population
could be reduced by as much as 96%. By conserving energy, however, we can slow climate
change, and this will slow the rise of the oceans. So keep switching off the lights whenever you’re
the last person to leave a room!
You can also protect tigers when shopping. Many popular products, including chocolate, instant
noodles, and soap, are made with palm oil. Unfortunately, forests where tigers live are being
destroyed to build more and more palm oil plantations. Some palm oil, however, is produced in a
more sustainable way. Products that use this environmentally friendly palm oil usually have a
special mark on the label. Look for it the next time you go shopping!
Get Involved
There are many other things you can do to protect tigers and other endangered species. You
could volunteer at a nonprofit organization or share important information on social networking
sites. However small your actions may seem, they can help make a big difference. Most
importantly, you must remember that we all share the same planet. If a single species disappears,
every other living creature, including human beings, could be affected.

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Our Interconnected world

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