Tyger Tyger, Burning Bright
National and international leaders agree. In late 2009, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin unveiled a $ 1 billion effort to save the Siberian tiger. An international summit with the World Bank in Vladivostok, Russia, last September has set the goal of doubling wild tiger numbers worldwide to 6500 by 2022.
Conservation organizations carried out a series of national workshop’s with retrospect to the summit at Vladivostok. But China’s decisions carry a special weight that could either save or doom these graceful beasts.
Wildlife experts point to as back as 1993, which was when the Chinese government banned the trade in tiger parts used for traditional Chinese medicines. The move helped to curb consumer demand, which has consistently driven poachers to hunt down wild tigers.
“China shut down an entire industry that made millions of dollars per year by making medicine from tiger bones “Mills explained.” I think we have wild tigers in the numbers we have today because China made this bold move.”
“Medicines that use tiger parts have mostly disappeared from markets since the official Chinese ban”, says Steven Broad, executive director of the wildlife trade monitoring group TRAFFIC. All the existing nations within wild tiger ranges have also banned tiger trade.
But black market continues to supply tiger bones, tiger skins and “tiger wine” made from the crushed bones of tigers, mainly to satisfy the demand of wealthy individuals and high level officials among whom it is a status symbol. China also currently has an estimated 5000 – 9000 captive tigers kept in 14 farms. Wildlife experts warn that such farms keep the threat of tiger trade alive, because business owners put pressure on China to reverse its official ban.
And tiger farms don’t hold any hope for the wild tiger’s future, adds Eric Dinerstein, chief scientist at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Captive tigers have no idea how to hunt or fend for themselves in the wild, and are likely to end up getting killed by wild tigers. Or worse – turn into man-eaters looking for humans that are easier prey.
This is a moment of hope for those beasts, because as of now, they are no longer on the verge of extinction. We have made brilliant efforts in preserving tigers all over the world. The question now remains, “Are they truly safe?”
Poaching is still abundant in most parts of the globe. If we can embrace conservation’s virtues, we just might see the tiger’s tail turn white once again.