Cameras caught a miraculous moment in Kaeng Krachan National Park in Thailand. CBS News reported that a rare Bengal tiger revealed that she had not one — but three — cubs.
Last year, a camera trap spotted one cub with its mother in the park. However, recent footage retrieved from cameras damaged by heavy rain last year showed that the litter is actually a trio.
Kaeng Krachan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to six adult Bengal tigers, according to CBS News. Thailand is one of the few countries confirmed to have remaining breeding populations of Bengal tigers; the others include Nepal, Bhutan, Russia, and India.
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The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists Bengal tigers as endangered, and the largest threats to the subspecies' survival are poaching and illegal killing. The IUCN estimates that there were only around 3,140 adult tigers remaining as of 2022.
As predators at the top of the food chain, tigers play an essential role in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem balance. Protecting tigers is not just about saving a species but also about preserving habitats that provide fresh water, clean air, and food resources for both wildlife and humans.
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According to the World Wildlife Fund, successfully protecting even just one tiger can already protect about 25,000 acres of forest.
Conservation efforts have really made breakthroughs in reintroducing species that were thought to be extinct, like the Hawaiian ʻalalā in Maui, the weasel-like fisher in Pennsylvania, the Partula tohiveana snail in French Polynesia, and the South American tapir in Brazil.
The Bengal cub trio sighting is a beacon of hope to endangered species worldwide because it's a sign of population recovery for an endangered subspecies. India and Nepal have reported increased Bengal tiger populations in recent years thanks to successful conservation efforts. IUCN Species Survival chairperson Dr. Jon Paul Rodríguez said tiger population recovery proves that "solving complex conservation challenges is possible and within our reach," according to The Independent.
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