96% of the mammals on planet earth are livestock and humans leaving only 4% for wild animals. We have lost 83% of all mammals on the planet, these species are not here solely because of humans. 80% of marine animals and 50% of all plants are also lost due to human impact. Elephants, rhinos and lions are just a few species which are also extremely threatened and close to extinction. We have lost 80% of all snow leopards on the planet. There are more tigers alive in captivity in the state of Texas than there are in the world. Scientist have found that for tigers, a 96% decrease in population coincides with a 96% loss of habitat. 

There are about 200,000 protected areas in the world which are in various stages of "actual protection". 50% of these protected areas have not yet been mapped... making it harder for these animals to be protected from poaching. The number one problem that these animals are facing right now is poaching. We will discuss the extremely organized black market of wildlife trade. Most tigers are being poached as their body parts are highly valued for non-effective medicinal purposes and "tiger bone wine" in China. 1 in 5 tigers are dying per year from poaching. The most effective tactic is to place armed guards in protected areas to stand guard over these animals. It is truly challenging for rangers to protect endangered species when the protected areas are not mapped as they have to navigate extremely dense jungle and are up against professional and highly armored poaching groups akin to military officers.

Kevin McManigal has intimate knowledge of the modern GIS and cartographic workflow. Employed as a professional cartographer, he is a recognized innovator among his peers at the North America Cartographic Information Society. He teaches cartography as an art form, utilizing GIS and graphics software to produce maps that inform and inspire. He also has extensive travel experience, including mountaineering expeditions to Alaska, Europe, and South America. His field research includes trips to the Sierra Nevada of California, the Himalaya of Nepal and Bhutan, and the Altai of Mongolia, where he studies the dynamics of glacial change.

To learn more about protecting tigers, please visit:

www.panthera.org

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