We all have seen a tiger before. We have seen it since we were children, in storybooks and television cartoons. Maybe your religion or culture worships the tiger as a god or powerful being. But the thing is, tigers are becoming increasingly rare to find. They are there one second and are gone the next. Since McKinley High School is known as “Home of the Tigers,” this seems like an important matter.

Once, tigers ruled across Asia. Today, only about 3,200 wild individuals remain among six different species. Tigers are dying out mainly due to habitat loss and poaching. Habitat loss happens because humans wipe out a tiger homes, such as cutting down trees, to make space for farms and houses. Poaching is when hunters purposely kill a tiger to sell its meat and fur on the illegal black market or trading. Also, some 5,000 other tigers are kept as pets in the United States, even though their owners don’t have the means to support them. (Why would you want a 300 pound predator in your backyard, anyway?)

“I think it is sad and unfair to them,” Freshman Mikaela Rivera said. “I feel that tigers should be protected by law because they are actually magnificent creatures. Parks should be created since they are endangered.”

Why do tigers matter? Tigers matter because they are unique. Their orange and white body with black stripes is impossible to miss. They are known to be admired and feared by everyone across the globe. If we were to kill every tiger, future generations would never receive the chance to experience this amazing animal. If you would like to help, you can head over to http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/tiger. Once there, you can sign up to become a monthly member or even write a letter to Congress, telling them to support tiger protection. Famous actor Leonardo DiCaprio donated $3 million to the World Wildlife Fund to support the big cats.

Tigers are vanishing like ghosts, without them, we are not the mighty McKinley tigers.

At our school, “A tiger means to be persistent and to never give up,” Freshman Kelia Herring said. “It also means to always try your best to reach your goals. Also, being a tiger means to take pride in everything we do.”