BBC Future  Smart Planet  Tigers: Can we afford to save them?
About the author      • Extinct soon?     One of around 3,000
tigers left in the world, down from 100,000 in 1900.
Conservationists fear that tigers may go extinct within two
decades. (Copyright: Science Photo Library)   • Warning signs
A spate of recent awareness-raising efforts in India provide a
constant reminder about the dwindling tiger population.
(Copyright: Getty Images)   • Adopting measures     The
Indonesian government is trying to save endangered tigers from
extinction by allowing people to adopt captive-born animals for
$100,000 a pair. (Copyright: Getty Images)   • Highly valued
Officials monitoring the illegal trade in tigers discover all
manner of items valued in traditional Asian medicine, such as
tiger bone plasters. (Copyright: Getty images)   • Prized parts
Tigers are being hunted to extinction for their skins, bones and
claws. Indian customs officials hold a Bengal tiger skin seized
in January this year. (Copyright