Rare Tigers Found High in the Himalayas

A male Bengal Tiger, filmed by a BBC crew using a remote camera trap in the Himalayas of Bhutan, at an altitude of over 4,000 meters.

/ BBC

BBC camera crews have discovered a rare population of tigers living high in the Himalayas.

Video footage captured by dozens of cameras with motion sensors, which had been left in the mountains of Bhutan, showed the animals - usually found in jungle habitats - at altitudes above 13,000 feet.

"These are the highest living tigers in the world," said BBC cameraman Gordon Buchanan.

The footage was obtained by the BBC's Natural History Unit for the series, "Lost Land of the Tiger," which debuts on British television this week.

The British documentary group had traveled to the Himalayas to investigate claims by locals that there were tigers in the area - well above the tree line.

"If that's true, that's a really big deal," naturalist Steve Backshall told the BBC.

Experts say it is the first proof that tigers can live and breed at extremely high altitudes.

The discovery could bolster conservation efforts by helping forge links to other tiger habitats in Asia.

Bhutan officials promised to use the news to aid conservation efforts.

According to the United Nations, there are only about 3,200 tigers living in the wild. A few tiger subspecies - the Bali tiger, the Caspian tiger, and the Javan tiger - are already extinct.

Earlier this year the secretary general of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) said the tiger is on "the verge of extinction."

Poaching and the illegal trade of tiger products continue to threaten the animals.

Click here for information on the series, "Lost Land of the Tiger."

To watch a BBC News report of the discovery click on the video player below.

[ouchitatom]

make it automatic death by firing squad if found in possesion of any tiger related product or by product. This would stop a bunch of poaching. All the well wishers and hopers of this world all have good intentions but no guts or balls to pull the trigger. there are people who will and surprisingly enough very cheap as well and christian among many religions.It is written in the Bible "Obey the laws of the lands or suffer the punishment of judges and lawyers.

[tootjn2]

I totally agree with you, if the gain is worth the consequence, the tigers won't live very long. Got to make it not worth the risk.

[maistir]

Tremendous! BBC is smart enough (I hope) to have some protective measures in place in that kingdom before publicizing this story.

[zwebwolf]

Great now someone will kill and poach these animals, especially in a country like that all they are after is the money.

[Myopinion046]

A feel good story for sure.