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Why are tigers in trouble? |
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At the beginning of the last century it is estimated that there were 100,000
wild tigers, today the number is about 5,000. Simply put, tigers are
disappearing in the wild. The main threats to tigers are:
Confiscated tiger skins in Nepal - Chapagain, D People continue to kill tigers:
Tigers are legally protected in all of the countries in which they live today,
and international trade in tiger parts is prohibited. Yet, illegal trade in
tiger bones and skins flourishes across international borders and within tiger
range countries. People continue to poach tigers, and law enforcement agencies
in tiger range countries continue to confiscate large quantities of bone and
skins. The main obstacle to wildlife conservation in Asia today is that
eliminating illegal wildlife trade is not a priority on any country’s national
agenda.
People continue to destroy, fragment and degrade existing and potential tiger
habitats and overkill the tigers prey: Poised at the top of an intricate
ecosystem, the endangered tiger is an indicator of ecosystems in crisis.
Conservationists must create bottom-up support for tiger conservation and
enlist key social, governmental, and corporate support for the tiger’s
survival in the wild. Save The Tiger Fund views the maintenance of viable
tiger populations as an essential component of sustainable ecosystem
management and is working to reduce poaching, connect fragmented landscapes,
prevent existing habitats from being fragmented by human activities.
Insufficient knowledge of what tigers need to survive in the changing
landscapes of Asia and inadequate strategies and tools to meet these needs:
Despite a decade of conservation investment, our knowledge of the tiger’s
ecological needs and the strategies and tools needed to meet them remains
inadequate. There is also a critical shortage of trained conservation
practitioners, organizations, alliances and networks that recognize the
tiger’s ecological needs and know how to link the tiger’s survival with the
welfare of people. A divergence of opinion and lack of collective knowledge on
the current distribution and population trends of tigers further restricts our
ability to identify and respond to impending crises.
Tiger day parade in Vladivostock - Phoenix FundLack of recognition and
visibility to mobilize multisector support: Effective communications messages,
tools and tactics – are critical to saving tigers. Communications needs to be
part of the ongoing efforts to increase international visibility on tiger
conservation and to develop and sustain key partnerships and constituents that
support work to save the tiger from extinction. Attitudes towards tigers are
slowly changing from from one of disdain to respect in many tiger landscapes.
Politicians need to wholeheartedly support initiatives that help to preserve
tigers which are an important ingredient in the ecological and cultural fabric
of Asia, and businesses need to come together and provide financial assistance
to support ongoing conservation efforts.
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