What Have Numbers Got To Do With It?

Just some numbers I've come across lately that are rather interesting.
We'll start with this. I was curious the other day, after some conversations with the parentals. And I found this.
http://www.earthsendangered.com/list_html.asp
When you eventually find your way to the bottom of this enormous list, you will find the total number of endangered animals. As of today, there are 10,801 endangered animals on the planet.
10,801!
Now while you think about that figure.
Think about the money spent on that so-called 'World Tiger Summit' last November. Basically, they spent around USD 1.4 million of taxpayers' money so that they can sit happily in an air-conditioned room in a fancy hotel in Russia and use flowery, useless language about all the wonderful things they're doing for conservation.
USD 1,400,000
Granted, I don't buy it. They were underestimating to make us feel better about it, surely.
And, surprise surprise, world tiger populations remain at an all time low of 3,200 at the highest estimation. Woohoo. That's one tiger for approximately every 2,117,261 people.
1 tiger: 2,117,261 people
Sorry, I'm enjoying pointing this out a little too much. But yeah, just some food for thought.
Maybe if we divide each tiger into 2,117,261 little bits all our problems would be solved. No more tigers to 'harass' everyone, and we all get to try our hand at this amazing chinese medicine stuff. All 0.000000000004 grams of it!

P.S. Note the sarcasm while reading that last little bit.

The Importance of Data

:D Need I say more?

Tigers vs. People

How is it that, no matter the circumstances, the animals are always the ones who are at fault? Humans are always the victims. When a tiger kills a human, much more effort is taken to catch that tiger and kill it, compared to the lame attempts to capture poachers and animal abusers, with even more lenient sentences. Tigers are not the only carnivores that suffer from this kind of treatment.

For every shark that kills a human, a human kills around 250,000 sharks. Fair, huh? Even the most common of sharks are at risk because their fins are ‘good to eat’. Just like tiger…er…parts…are good for libido. And bear bile cures heart disease. You can’t believe everything people believed hundreds of years ago, whether it’s to preserve culture or not. Some of it is just plain bogus! And I mean, who in their right minds wants to put that sort of stuff in their mouths anyway?

Still, I think people look past basic facts to make themselves feel better. Don’t get me wrong, I feel sorry for the villagers who’ve lost family members…oh wait, sorry, the people the tigers killed were illegal deforesters. It seems fair enough that the tigers want these people out, you would want someone out of your house if they just knocked down the door one day and started removing your couch and dresser and raided the kitchen. And kept doing it!

People are angry at starving tigers, who, without any other source of food, attack livestock and people. Well it’s not the tigers’ fault humans have not only destroyed their habitat, but depleted their food source. Have some sense, it’s a food chain, can’t be that hard to understand. Here, I’ll illustrate a really bare-as-bones version.

Alright, so what’s really happening is that the humans come, kill the plants, and then kill the quiet cute herbivores. What’s left for the tigers to eat?

That’s right kids. Nothing.

AND YOU WONDER WHY THEY’RE KILLING PEOPLE?

Under the Spotlight

Most people probably don’t know this, but Malaysia actually lies at the center of the wildlife trade. Between a corrupt, un-enforced law against wildlife trade and an abundance of untouched rainforest, Malaysia is seemingly the perfect place to set up shop.

            With quickly disappearing rainforests, devoted to palm plantations and development, no one will really notice that all the animals that are left in the forests are going. Dozens of animals are killed every night just from crossing highways that cut through sections of forests called ‘corridors’. These corridors connect fragments of forest together and keep the gene pool diverse. These highways have been established with ‘underpasses’ for the animals to use – I don’t understand how they came up with that. Because the tapir that’s wandering through the forest is going to be all: ‘Oh look! It’s an underpass! I should use it so I don’t have to cross the highway and get squished’. Not to question an animal’s intelligence, but that is just not how they were made.

            On top of this, the government has only just started to show it has any sign of a spine, however small it may be. They convicted Anson Wong and have sent him to jail, which is to be applauded even though it was only for six months, with a fine of RM190,000. The Malaysian government is known for it’s corruption and nepotism, and it is feared that these wildlife traders are paying off any law enforcement officers that get their hands on them; on top of this, these traders must have some inside deals going on! Somebody within the government is in on this, and is maintaining Malaysia’s position as an easy place to do dirty business.

            Just imagine how booming the economy would be if the wildlife trade counted as a legal form of business? The illegal wildlife trade is currently the third most lucrative business there is – with prices being higher than they have ever been. A single tiger skin can fetch up to US$20,000, a tooth US$700.

            China, I continue to show you my gratitude for maintaining demand for such wonderful things. Really, thank you so much. (NOT.)