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25% of profits from the sales of the 'Sumatra's Most Wanted' collection will go to Harimau Kita (Our Tiger).
'Tiger bones are used to make tiger bone wine, drunk by a small number of wealthy Chinese people who believe it will impart the characteristics of the tiger to the drinker' (National Geographic).
Its canines are worn as jewelry, the skin is made into furniture, and its penis is sold as a sexual tonic, some of which are purely status symbols to some in Asia. Out of the 25 million hectares of natural forest in Sumatra in 1985, there are only 11 million hectares left (2016). That is a loss of 56% percent, in 31 years. There is no doubt this beautiful species of Tiger could be extinct very soon unless there is a massive shift.
Through conservation, working with local governments and NGOs, enforcing policy, and spreading awareness, Harimau Kita is working hard to keep this creature alive.
Due to deforestation, palm oil, and poaching, Sumatran tigers are critically endangered. Poaching even occurs in protected areas, as tactical hunting or bribery, is still a common problem. Snares are planted around the forest, which is an extremely cruel way to capture such an animal.
The production of palm oil is a huge reason why deforestation has occurred so dramatically. Palm oil is used in many household goods, most homeowners likely have at least one product containing palm oil in the house. From lipstick to chocolate; commercial pizza dough, instant noodles, shampoo, detergents, soaps, ice cream, margarine, cookies, packaged bread, peanut butter, packaged pastries, crisps, vegan cheese, baby formula, and Nutella. There are alternatives out there, but unfortunately, many of these items fall under the same cooperate umbrella. Brands like Unilever use massive quantities of palm oil for their products but have such a huge market share that sometimes it may feel Unilever is the only option when shopping for basic supplies.
There is no doubt this beautiful species of a tiger could be extinct very soon unless there is a massive shift. Due to deforestation, the tiger has to leave its natural environment and sometimes comes across humans, with fatal consequences. If human life is lost because of a tiger, the tiger is found and put in a detention center, although sometimes the tigers are wrongly convicted. Most are kept in these detention centers forever and can become very sick because of this solitary confinement. A tiger is naturally a predator, so it seems unfair that it is punished by being locked up for good, for doing what it is genetically programmed to do. If these creatures were given the space they need, fewer interactions with people would occur. 2 subspecies of tiger, the Balinese, and the Javan tiger, are already extinct. The Sumatran tiger could be following in those footsteps.