The tiger, Panthera tigris, was historically found throughout much of Asia, but at low population de

 once extended from Turkey to eastern Siberia, Java, and Bali and included environments ranging from boreal forest to tropical rain forest. The tigers in this far-flung population varied enough from place to place in size and coloration that many local populations were described as separate subspecies, including the Siberian, Bengal, and Javanese tigers. Like peregrine falcons, tigers had an extensive geographic range and broad habitat tolerance but low population density. Over the centuries, relentless pursuit by hunters reduced the tiger's range from nearly half of the largest continent on earth to a series of tiny fragmented populations. Many local populations have become extinct and others, such as the magnificent Siberian tiger, teeter on the verge of extinction in the wild. These populations may survive only through captive breeding programs in zoos. The next example shows that narrow habitat tolerance can also lead to extinction.