FA+
Shop
182
Views
Views
10
Favorites
Favorites
Category
Photography / Animal related (non-anthro)
Species Tiger
Size 800 x 600
File Size 431.8 kB
Report this content
More from WalkingTiger
Tekhan makes his return and this time he is definitely in his element - a nice, cold, wintery day. Despite his somewhat surly expression, he was in a great mood.
Though some would say the lion is the king of beasts, I would vouch for the Siberian tiger. Not only it is larger than the lion, but the markings on its head appear to be the chinese character 'wang' which means 'king'. King indeed!
Tekhan is a great representative of this - I've met many tigers, but he has always come across as being most regal. He is a tiger in his prime, massive, imposing and commanding a lot of respect. At the same time, he is also an incredibly friendly tiger. He is remarkable.
---
Tigers are the largest of the big cats and are exclusively found in Asia from India to Vietnam, from Indonesia to the Russian Far East. The tiger can be divided into 9 subspecies: 4 are currently critically endangered and 3 are already extinct. Though estimations of tiger populations only a few years ago was 5,500-6,000, today populations are likely closer to 3,500 and are still declining. Dramatic declines of the tiger in India, thought to host the majority of the world’s tigers, have fallen to less than 1,411. Overall, the past decade has seen a 40% reduction in tiger habitat, which now represents a mere 7% of its historic range. Poaching is a significant problem throughout the tiger’s range, the demand for its body parts in traditional medicines, tonics, and exotic dishes driving a lucrative trade that is wiping out entire populations. Long-term threats include habitat fragmentation and prey depletion, which is accelerating the tiger’s demise and subsequently reducing the long-term genetic viability of many populations.
If you want to help, the best for you to do is to educate yourself (http://www.savethetigerfund.org), never buy products made from tigers or endangered species (http://www.wildaid.org), and tell others. Contact me for more information.
Though some would say the lion is the king of beasts, I would vouch for the Siberian tiger. Not only it is larger than the lion, but the markings on its head appear to be the chinese character 'wang' which means 'king'. King indeed!
Tekhan is a great representative of this - I've met many tigers, but he has always come across as being most regal. He is a tiger in his prime, massive, imposing and commanding a lot of respect. At the same time, he is also an incredibly friendly tiger. He is remarkable.
---
Tigers are the largest of the big cats and are exclusively found in Asia from India to Vietnam, from Indonesia to the Russian Far East. The tiger can be divided into 9 subspecies: 4 are currently critically endangered and 3 are already extinct. Though estimations of tiger populations only a few years ago was 5,500-6,000, today populations are likely closer to 3,500 and are still declining. Dramatic declines of the tiger in India, thought to host the majority of the world’s tigers, have fallen to less than 1,411. Overall, the past decade has seen a 40% reduction in tiger habitat, which now represents a mere 7% of its historic range. Poaching is a significant problem throughout the tiger’s range, the demand for its body parts in traditional medicines, tonics, and exotic dishes driving a lucrative trade that is wiping out entire populations. Long-term threats include habitat fragmentation and prey depletion, which is accelerating the tiger’s demise and subsequently reducing the long-term genetic viability of many populations.
If you want to help, the best for you to do is to educate yourself (http://www.savethetigerfund.org), never buy products made from tigers or endangered species (http://www.wildaid.org), and tell others. Contact me for more information.
Category Photography / Animal related (non-anthro)
Species Tiger
Size 800 x 600px
File Size 431.8 kB
I wanted to remark about the subtle regalness of this image, but after reading your comment, I guess you already knew that.
It always was a puzzle to me... the whole "King of the Beasts" concept with Lions seemed odd knowing that the Tiger was a larger, more powerful cat... however I think it was the cultural symbolism that bought the Lion it's place as "King".
It always was a puzzle to me... the whole "King of the Beasts" concept with Lions seemed odd knowing that the Tiger was a larger, more powerful cat... however I think it was the cultural symbolism that bought the Lion it's place as "King".
thing is, lions were inhabiting large parts of europe during the ice age and before, so they were always somehow anchored within people's minds. tigers live "far away", if they ever knew about them they barely knew anything. africa now, was within reach of european empires. and since they appear to be massive and whatnot they found their way into coat-of-arms.
During the Ice age, the cultural influences were not as evolved to actually use the symbolism. The introduction of the Lion into the British empire only occurred after the Crusades- when the British Armies invaded the middle east. Due to biblical representation and the rising popularity of Christianity, the Lion was adopted as the main emblem. England original Symbol was the Gold Eagle- which later was merged into the Giffen when the British invaded Persia, and adapted the symbol (since is encompassed both the Eagle and Lion). Afterward, it is as Eric said- the colonial empires of Brittan spread the symbol further as a relation to a monarchy, and Christianity as another patriarch symbol. :)
true, but it was known before, at least to most cultures. there are some cave paintings showing cave lions and other extinct animals. also, the romans had an elite army unit which wore the furs of lions as a kind of emblem. the roman empire still used the eagle, though.
later many informations went amiss, along with any bestiary. all people knew about foreign fauna were hour book illustrations.
there is a large bronce bowl, a leftover from late roman empire, which found it's way into an ealry german king's treasure hoard. the bowl had three cast lions holding it up, and one was missing. some southern-german artist, who must have never heard of lions before, much less seen it, resculptred one from scratch. the result doesn't look much like a real lion, but it did well. :)
and then there is that 32000 year old ivory sculpture of a lion-headed man (or probably an anthropomorphic lion? it's still unclear) they dug out of a cave in southern germany in '34. it laid in splinters, and was later filed away when WW2 broke out. in the 60's they found it and later had an artist put it back together and fill up the gaps. :)
later many informations went amiss, along with any bestiary. all people knew about foreign fauna were hour book illustrations.
there is a large bronce bowl, a leftover from late roman empire, which found it's way into an ealry german king's treasure hoard. the bowl had three cast lions holding it up, and one was missing. some southern-german artist, who must have never heard of lions before, much less seen it, resculptred one from scratch. the result doesn't look much like a real lion, but it did well. :)
and then there is that 32000 year old ivory sculpture of a lion-headed man (or probably an anthropomorphic lion? it's still unclear) they dug out of a cave in southern germany in '34. it laid in splinters, and was later filed away when WW2 broke out. in the 60's they found it and later had an artist put it back together and fill up the gaps. :)
"The Romans had an elite army unit which wore the furs of lions as a kind of emblem"... The Romans were not in Brittan. They were in what we know today as Italy and the Mediterranean. The cave paintings are predominantly in France- the "Hall of Bulls", and other Mediterranean areas. Again, not in Brittan. You can even wiki it if you don't believe me- the Lion Ancestors were void in the English northern area of the world- as an Island there is little to no exchange of genetic or species material- the "cave lions" were believed to have resided in Alaska and Yukon (coming over the great Russian-America connect).
Brittan's influence with the symbol is what made it a megalomaniac symbol, as before then it wasn't a symbol dominant in heraldry or culture. The Roman's' also had an Eagle, not a lion, and their depictions of a lion were used scarcely. While the symbol did exist- and was used in art and culture before- it's boon to popularity came with the English.
Brittan's influence with the symbol is what made it a megalomaniac symbol, as before then it wasn't a symbol dominant in heraldry or culture. The Roman's' also had an Eagle, not a lion, and their depictions of a lion were used scarcely. While the symbol did exist- and was used in art and culture before- it's boon to popularity came with the English.
okay, okay. there were never cave lions on the british isles. but they weren't that mush isolated.
meanwhile, look at the wiki article about the roman empire and tell me again the romans never crossed the alps, or even came as far as the south of the british main isle...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire
the indoeuropean continent had indeed cave lions, cave bears, hyenas, mammoths, and many other ise-age species. there are bones to prove it.
granted, I wasn't too sure what I wanted to say to begin with and may have confused some things. it was late that day. can we stop argueing now?
meanwhile, look at the wiki article about the roman empire and tell me again the romans never crossed the alps, or even came as far as the south of the british main isle...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire
the indoeuropean continent had indeed cave lions, cave bears, hyenas, mammoths, and many other ise-age species. there are bones to prove it.
granted, I wasn't too sure what I wanted to say to begin with and may have confused some things. it was late that day. can we stop argueing now?
Comments