A dream came true: Half grown Siberian tiger in the snow

Jorginho wrote:

Creatures become extinct because they are no longer fit enough to survive. it is irrelevant whether it is us or anything else: 99.9% of all creatures that have ever lived became extinct. No one misses the Shortfaced bear, the cave lion, the mamuth, megaceros etcetc.

We only appear to miss what we have lost and loved. While we lost species for sure recently on a global scale, we have won a lot of diversity on a regional scale. It is a human trait to adhere a lot of value to what is rare. Whether it is gold, a special kind of food or an animal. What is abundant doesn't count and "too" abundant and it is a pest.

In reality some species are at the end of the line and no longer fit to survive whereas others are doing much better because of the changes in their surroundings. Some have found new homes via human dispersal and also are doing very well.

The Siberian tiger supresses wolvenumbers significantly. Wherever human predation of tigers diminshes their numbers, wolves start to thrive. Wherever wolves enter, coyotes disappear. So in this case one takes the place of the other. Some things change. Larger ungulates have no problem with a coyote, but a pack of wolves is a serious danger. So they are more weary, less productive and forests start to grow...or prairie is lost...Whatever you like.

Change is a constant in the Universe. We will lose friends, species etc. I am human too an do not like it but I then realise that there is no good or bad reason for it. It is just the way it is. Sooner or later that tiger will become extinct. we probably too.

As it is, the tiger is just not competitive enough. It does not need to become extinct if it would be more clever etc. Foxes, raccons, wolves, bears, pigs, coyotes etc: they do well with humans around.

Wrong and wrongheaded. Even the mechanistic, deterministic oversimplification of Darwinism that you propound could only obtain in a closed, essentially static, system.

"It is just the way it is." Is a cop-out indeed! You are being wilfully blind to a record of human effects on the environment that go back to the beginnings of agriculture. William F Ruddiman's PLOWS, PLAGUES, AND PETROLEUM.

More importantly, you are ignoring the mountain of evidence that NOW we humans, with our destructive practices, are having major effects on the environment we share with such animals. In the particular of the Siberian Tiger, the are being slaughtered not by any natural process, but because the erectile anxieties and superstitions of aging men create a high-margin market for unscrupulous gangsters (not unlike the drug trade).

Ironically, the power of Sabine's beautiful pictures is enhanced by the reality that this species has almost been extinguished by such activity.