Tiger farmer raises hackles of conservationists

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Tiger farmer raises hackles of conservationists

By VIJAY JOSHI

 

12/31/2000

Associated Press Newswires

Copyright 2000. The Associated Press. .

 

BAN DON YAI, Thailand (AP) - Zoo owner and lawmaker Chuvit

Pitukpornpunlob may have caught a tiger by the tail.

 

If Chuvit has his way, tigers would be bred like livestock on farms

and slaughtered for their meat, bones and skin. Increasing the supply of

tiger parts, Chuvit says, is the best way to stifle a massive illegal

international trade in the endangered cats.

But wildlife groups warn that such a move would turn the clock back

on a 13-year-old global effort to stop the underground trade that has

threatened the big cat with extinction.

 

Parts of the tiger, provided by poachers, are believed to increase

sexual potency, alleviate rheumatism and are popular accessories for

charms and ornaments.

 

The idea of tiger farms is not new, but Chuvit's views have

conservationists worried. Chuvit, a member of the opposition Thai Rak

Thai party, is expected to win re-election in Thailand's Jan. 6

balloting. His party could form the next government.

 

Chuvit said he would lobby the new government to lift the ban on

breeding tigers if he is re-elected.

 

" One day, the tiger can become an economic animal, " he said. " Today,

the society cannot accept that people can raise tigers in farms. But you

said the same thing about deer and crocodiles, and now that's

acceptable. "

 

The captive tiger population in Thailand could increase from about

1,000 now to 40,000 in 10 years, Chuvit said, climbing into a cage to

play with two of the 21 tigers in his private zoo 300 miles (480

kilometers) northeast of Bangkok.

 

Wildlife experts warn that raising tigers on farms could lead to

genetic dilution of the species due to inbreeding. Farm-grown tigers

also would be " useless " in conserving the species since they wouldn't

survive in the wild, said Surapol Duangkae of Wildlife Fund Thailand.

 

Among conservationists, " the consensus is that this is a dangerous

proposal, " Peter Jackson, chairman of the Cats Specialist Group of the

World Conservation Union, said from Switzerland.

 

" We believe that it ... won't lessen pressure on the demand for tiger

products, " he said, adding there was no guarantee that products from

captive tigers would be acceptable to consumers since wild animals are

credited with more potency.

 

Rob Parry-Jones, who heads a wildlife monitoring group based in Hong

Kong, said raising tigers on farms would undercut existing laws against

trading in endangered animals. He said the main worry is that tiger

farms could be used to " launder " products from wild tigers.

 

According to Parry-Jones' group, no more than 7,500 tigers remain in

the wild in 14 countries in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and

Russia.

 

In Thailand, privately breeding tigers for commercial purposes is

punishable by up to four years in prison and a dlrs 1,000 fine. But

Chuvit and others evade the ban by operating licensed private zoos

legally allowed to keep tigers purchased before 1992.

 

About half of Chuvit's tigers are offspring of a male and female he

bought nine years ago. He said maintaining tigers is not cheap: a grown

tiger eats the equivalent of 12 chickens a day.

 

Conservationists hope that the high expense will make raising tigers

commercially unattractive.

 

AP Photos NY190-193

 

 

 

Folder Name: Asia Conservation

Relevance Score on Scale of 100: 99

 

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