Archive for the 'tiger' category

Eugène Delacroix – “Tiger hunt”
Oil on canvas 73,5 x 92,5 cm – Musée d’Orsay, Paris

Eugène Delacroix - Tiger hunt - Musée d'Orsay, Paris

You may be a cute little dog and not feeling any limit to your bubbling love. this is exactly what happens to this one which is nourishing young tigers she received.

She also cares for lion cubs…

Do not taunt, mock, imitate, dis, nag, insult, jeer, teese, needle, offend, outrage, sneer at, revile, upbraid, impersonate, deride, slander, razz, pester, satirize, rib, agitate, alarm, badger, disturb, upset, incite, vex, torment, browbeat, displease, scare, irritate, distress, provoke, goad, bully, kid, snub, confront, laugh at, infruriate, threaten, disaparage, scoff at, ridicule inflame or goad the tigers.

But, it this really a tiger on the photo?

Springtime brings many new animals to the parks and zoos, not only new visitors. Boston.com “The Big Picture” publishes some photographs from zoos and aquariums around the world from the past couple of months.

A Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) roars as it feeds at the zoo of Zurich, Switzerland.
(AP Photo/Keystone, Urs Flueeler)

DNA studies and thorough analysis led scientists to discoveries about how tigers migrated from China to Russia and through Central Asia.

Apparently, Siberian, or Amur, tigers found in the Russian Far East today and visibly isolated from all other tiger populations, are a sub-species that evolved from the now-extinct Caspian tiger from Central Asia. Or at least that the Caspian tiger was the nearest genetic neighbour to the Siberian tiger.

Some may think that it should lead to directions on how to re-populate Central Asia with Siberian tigers from either China or Russia.

Note: The last Caspian tigers have been observed in 1970.

Source: University of Oxford.

Zoo animals are often restrained to live in an environment widely less interesting and less rich than the normal life in the wild. Some zoos have tried to diversify this environment (a little like what may be done sometimes with toddlers).

The Boomer Ball company manufactures gaming balls for animals living indoor and they wanted photos to publicize their products. The London zoo got the award with this photo that most people will find surprising: Kendra, Siberian (Amur) tiger, with its red ball.

Kendra and its red ball

Les tigres ont de formes de rayures qui sont aussi uniques que nos empreintes digitales. La plupart des experts reconnaissent les individus sur la base d’un examen prolongé, d’années d’expérience et de l’observation des rayures des flancs de l’animal. Tout va bien quand vous parlez de quelques individus, mais il y a des centaines de tigres à suivre dans la jungle. Et cela devient alors beaucoup plus fatigant.

Comme toujours dans le cas où une activité humaine est vraiment difficile et inefficace, on peut appeler l’informatique à l’aide. Voici le logiciel conçu par Lex Hilby du Conservation Research. Ullas Karanth de la Wildlife Conservation Society a testé le programme de Hilby avec des photos de tigres prises dans les réserves de Nagarhole et Bandipur en Inde. Pendant plus de vingt ans, son équipe à identifié entre 264 et 298 tigres en comparant soigneusement les images et ils ont pu conclure que le logiciel a un taux de réussite de 95% quand il s’agit d’identifier un animal.

Mais le programme n’est pas seulement utilisé sur des images prises par des pièges à photos, il est aussi mis en oeuvre pour retrouver la trace de peaux de tigres qui ont été vendues par des braconniers.

Image recognition for tiger stripes

Le logiciel est téléchargeable gratuitement.

It is said that the elephant is the best way to approach tigers in India and Pakistan. This is generally true, however, some guides should remember that a tigress is always ready to do extraordinary things to protect her cubs. Here is an example that the tourists and the guide will certainly not forget: In 2004, they went too near to the tigress lair and cubs (to capture her). See what happens.

Jason Morgan paints tigers. He really does.

Siberian tiger (by Jason Morgan)

If you like his work, it’s a time as good as any to go and visit his web site. What is surprising is his willingness to be commissioned to do an original painting from a model you’d select.

But I also suggest you’d go to his blog in order to keep in touch with his work. You will be shown his work during its creation. It’s a great thing to see.

And, not surprisingly, you will notice that Jason Morgan also does cheetahs, lions, leopards and other big cats.