It is possible that in 50 years the only tigers in the world will be in zoos. One hundred years ago, there were maybe 100,000 tigers in the world. Today scientists are not sure how many are left, as it is difficult to count them. There are maybe only between 5,000 and 7,000 tigers in the world.
People only find tigers in Asia and Africa. They have already disappeared from many countries. There are no longer any Caspian tigers. They died out many years ago. The living condition of tigers in other parts of Asia is also serious. There are perhaps only 100 Chinese tigers left. In southwestern Russia, the number of tigers is a little higher. There are about 450 tigers left. On some islands in Sumatra(苏门答腊)with many thick forests, there are about 500 tigers.
Why are there fewer and fewer tigers? The first reason is that tigers are meat-eaters. They need a lot of land to find enough food. Also they live in forests and people cut down many trees. Many years ago, tiger shooting was a sport, especially in India. Local people sometimes kill tigers because they kill their cows. Another reason is that Chinese people use all parts of the dead tigers for traditional Chinese medicine, including the bones(骨头)and so on. People think this medicine will make them live longer.
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