World Governments Reject Tiger Farming and Trade

[Guest guest]

Message source: Wildlife Protection Society of India <wpsi

 

13 June 2007

International Tiger Coalition

 

World Governments Reject Tiger Farming and Trade; A Victory for Wild

Tigers, Coalition Says

 

The Hague, The Netherlands Tigers should not be bred for trade in

their parts, governments gathered here said today, approving a

decision to strengthen conservation of wild tigers.

 

This was a major victory for wild tigers, which could be quickly wiped

out by poaching if there is a legal market anywhere, said Uttara

Mendiratta of Wildlife Protection Society of India, on behalf of the

35 member organizations of the International Tiger Coalition. The

international community has sent a clear message that the world cannot

sacrifice the last wild tigers for the sake of a handful of wealthy

tiger farm investors.

 

The International Tiger Coalition commends delegates from four

countries with wild tigers

India, Nepal, Bhutan and Russia and the United States in standing firm

on behalf of wild tiger conservation during a lengthy debate here

today. The decision was adopted by consensus, but not before China

tried to soften the language.

 

Privately run tiger farms across China have bred nearly 5,000 captive

tigers and are putting enormous pressure on the Chinese government to

allow legal trade in tiger parts within China. They argue that their

captive tigers will meet the demand of traditional Chinese medicine

(TCM) users for tiger-bone tonic wines and medicines. But TCM

practitioners worldwide have stopped using tiger bone and reject the

argument that it is needed in legitimate medicines.

 

The request for reopening trade does not come from TCM, Lixin Huang,

president of the American College of TCM, told the forum before the

decision was made. TCM does not wish to be responsible for the

extinction of wild tigers.

 

All international trade in tiger parts is banned by CITES, and China

has banned domestic trade since 1993. The ban has proven successful in

reducing demand for tiger bone and raising public awareness about

tiger conservation, studies have found.

 

Aaranyak * American College of Traditional * Animal

Welfare Institute *

Animals Asia Foundation *Association of Zoos & Aquariums * Born Free

Foundation * Born Free USA *

British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums * Care for the

Wild International * Conservation International * Council of Colleges

of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine* David Shepherd Wildlife

Foundation * Environmental Investigation Agency * Global Tiger Patrol

* Humane Society International * Humane Society of the United States *

International Fund for Animal Welfare * PeunPa * Ranthambhore

Foundation * Save The Tiger Fund * Species Survival Network * The

Corbett Foundation * Tigris Foundation * TRAFFIC * 21st Century Tiger

* WildAid * Wildlife Alliance * Wildlife Conservation Nepal * Wildlife

Conservation Society * Wildlife Protection Society of India * Wildlife

Trust of India * World Association of Zoos & Aquariums * World Society

for the Protection of Animals * WWF * Zoological Society of London

 

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WILDLIFE PROTECTION SOCIETY OF INDIA (WPSI)

S-25 Panchsheel Park, New Delhi 110017, India

Tel: (Int+ 91.11) 4163.5920 & 4163.5921

Fax: (Int+ 91.11) 4163.5924

E-mail: wpsi

Website: www.wpsi-india.org

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