Has anyone read The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant? I am nearly finished it and it is a captivating non-fiction read. Even though the Tiger in question preys on humans, I still developed a newfound respect and concern for their survival as a species because of this book. Regarding Tiger poaching in the far East, a person can make the equivalent of many years of salary in the black market off of 1 tiger kill. Many people living in these regions live in poverty that we in the west cannot even comprehend. The key problem is the high demand for tiger parts for prestige and folk medicine. Similar to shark fins, there is no actual medical value for humans, it is just a complete waste of an apex predator that has dire and unpredictable impacts on their respective eco-systems.
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