If Tigers Disappeared, written and illustrated by Lily Williams. Roaring Brook Press, Macmillan. Raincoast. 2022. $24.99 ages 8 and up

 

"In 1900, there were an estimated one hundred thousand
tigers in the wild, but from 1900 to 2000, tiger populations declined by 96 percent. As human populations expand, tigers lose more and more of their natural land. Today, due to habitat loss and poaching, fewer than four thousand tigers remain in the wild." 

As she has done in previous books about sharks, polar bears, elephants and bees, Ms. Williams helps her readers understand what life on Earth would be like without tigers. Although I have only seen a few in captivity, I cannot imagine a world where these giant, majestic cats have no place. 96% lost in the past 100 years! If scientists were not tracking their presence and discussing that loss, who would believe that fact to be true? Of course, they are in danger of extinction. 

A map clearly shows where the six existing tiger species can still be found ... the Bengal, Malayan, Sumatran, Indochinese, South China, and Siberian. What a shame that less than four thousand remain in the wild. As apex predators, they play a crucial role in the natural balance within the forests where they live. 

Large herds of mammals that tigers feed on, when left to flourish unchecked, would alter waterways and plant growth. When forest environments change, the creatures making their homes there would not have enough to eat and would perish. All world patterns change when such loss happens. 

"This ripple effect, called the trophic cascade, can spill out across the world, affecting all forms of life. What might feel like a threat to a single animal population far away can actually have effects that reach your ecosystem as well." 

Luckily, there are indigenous communities who worship the tiger and seek to protect them. It is up to people of the world to learn from their ways. We all can learn more about the tigers' importance to ecosystems everywhere by asking questions, following advice and caring about their existence whether we live near them or not. 

Digital illustrations add interest and understanding for all readers. Endpapers are filled with images of the six remaining tiger species. A glossary, and a note about the troubles that plague tigers bring an end to the book.