Sunda tigers

The Sunda tiger, scientifically known as Panthera tigris sondaica, is a critically endangered subspecies of tiger found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It is the smallest of the surviving tiger subspecies, with males weighing between 100 and 140 kilograms and females between 75 and 110 kilograms. Its fur is a dark orange colour with closely spaced black stripes, which helps it blend into the dense tropical forests and rugged terrain where it lives. Sunda tigers inhabit lowland and mountain forests as well as peat swamps and are skilled hunters, preying on deer, wild boar, and sometimes smaller animals. Fewer than 400 Sunda tigers remain in the wild. Their survival is threatened by deforestation for palm oil plantations, poaching for skins and body parts, and conflicts with humans when tigers hunt livestock. Conservation efforts are ongoing, with national parks such as Kerinci Seblat and Gunung Leuser providing protection. Sunda tigers are the only remaining tiger population in the Sunda Islands, as their relatives in Java and Bali went extinct in the 20th century. In Indonesia, anyone caught hunting tigers could face jail time and steep fines. But despite increased efforts in tiger conservation—including strengthening law enforcement and anti-poaching capacity—a substantial market remains in Sumatra and other parts of Asia for tiger parts and products. Sunda tigers are losing their habitat and prey fast, and poaching is an ever-present threat.