Action Alert to Help Louisiana Tiger

This is an awful story of a tiger kept captive at a horrible truck stop in Louisiana. The Animal Legal Defense League is trying to save it. Please visit this link and respond.

Customs Officials Meet to Discuss China/Russia Smuggling

From TRAFFIC,

Customs officers from Russia and China met last week to strengthen international co-operation in tackling cross-border smuggling of Tigers and other wildlife products.

Representatives from the Federal Russia Customs, Far East Customs Directorate, Far East Operative Customs, Siberian Customs Directorate, General Customs Directorate of China, TRAFFIC Russia and TRAFFIC China met from 16–18 November in Vladivostok, through a programme supported by WWF Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK.

During the meeting, participants carried out an analysis of the current situation regarding wildlife trafficking across the Russian-Chinese border, and discussed practical ways it could be addressed.

Sobering Tiger Statistics

Very sad. I wish I could say something inspiring or hopeful, but it's hard to feel that way when you read these kinds of stories.

For the rest of the article, go to this TRAFFIC link...

Parts of at least 1,069 Tigers have been seized in Tiger range countries over the past decade, according to new analysis of Tiger seizures carried out by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network.

Reduced to Skin and Bones (PDF, 4 MB) shows that from January 2000 to April 2010, parts of between 1,069 and 1,220 Tigers were seized in 11 of the 13 tiger range countries—or an average of 104 to 119 animals per year.

Of the 11, India, China and Nepal ranked highest in the number of tiger part seizures, the report states, with India by far the highest number of Tiger part seizures at 276, representing between 469 and 533 Tigers. China, with 40, had the second highest number of seizures, or 116-124 Tigers, and Nepal reported 39 seizures, or 113-130 Tigers, according to the report.

Interpol Makes Arrests in Tiger Smuggling

From the PR Newswire...

A coordinated international law enforcement operation has led to the arrest of 25 individuals suspected of taking part in the illicit trade of tigers, one of the world's most endangered species.

The two-month operation involved national enforcement agencies in six tiger-range countries (China, India, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam) and was coordinated by INTERPOL's Environmental Crime Program at its headquarters in Lyon, France. "International collaboration in wildlife crime enforcement is critical to protecting species like tigers that are on the brink of extinction," said Fred O'Regan, President and Chief Executive Officer of IFAW, the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Ligers in China

A private zoo operator in Taiwan cross-bred lions and tigers, resulting in three "liger" cubs. One died and the other two were seized for sheltering at a research institution. Both species are endangered and it is illegal to cross breed them.

From Focus Taiwan...

The Environmental and Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST) said Huang, who possesses an array of wildlife, should be dealt with harshly to deter others from copying the behavior.

"Cross-breeding two protected species is completely against nature. We are urging the Council of Agriculture (COA) to seize the two cubs immediately and bring Huang to real justice. A fine of NT$50,000 is a mere slap on the wrist, " said Lin Tai-jing, an EAST researcher.

Man Arrested with Frozen Tigers and Panther in House

This happened in Vietnam. The guy was clearly trafficking in illegal parts as there were about 50 kg of bones belonging to other tigers.

Tiger Abuse at Chinese Zoos

Well, maybe these stories will have an impact on the Chinese public as they are really the only ones who can change things in this country.

It is an irony not lost on the Chinese public that the Year of the Tiger has not been good for the big cats. On Tuesday, state media reported that dozens of tigers and other endangered animals had died of malnutrition over the past two years at the Northern Forest Zoo in the Chinese city of Harbin. Workers, who later leaked the story to the media, buried their bodies in a 3-meter pit to hide the animals from authorities.

The report follows the news in March that 11 rare Siberian tigers had starved to death within a few months at the Shenyang Forest Wild Animal Zoo in northeast China. The cases have shed light on the murky world of China's 12 tiger farms, which were initially set up by the state in the 1980s to preserve the numbers of animals in existence. They have also underscored changing attitudes toward animal rights in a country where exotic animals have often been treasured less for their rarity and more for their medicinal or culinary benefits.

"Year of the Tiger" Simply Means "Year of More Summits"

I like this opinion piece in the Huffington Post. It's the Year of the Tiger on the Chinese calendar and there's plenty of talk and meetings going around. But what does it really mean if you and I don't engage in saving this beautiful animal?

Tiger Farms in China

The BBC has an article about the spreading practice of "farming" tigers.

China Calls for Tiger Protection

From the Economic Times (part of the India Times, I think)....

India’s newfound partnership with China on environment issues has yielded results in the area of tiger protection as well. In what could be seen as a new year’s gift for the Indian tiger, China’s State Forestry Administration has issued a directive calling for the protection of tigers, especially the need to step up action against illegal trade in tiger parts and products.

I don't trust the Chinese government on any issue. whether it be animal rights or human rights. What kind of protection do they really mean? You can put tigers on a farm for legal parts harvesting and still call it "protection."

I'm too, too cynical.

2009 is the Year of the Tiger

With only 3,200 tigers left in the wild.

Another Wildlife Trafficking Ring Busted

In India this time. They seized tiger skins, tiger bones and otter skins.

Where could those tiger bones be going but to Asian countries to make tiger bone wine?

2010 Declared the Year of the Tiger...So What?

The Kathmandu Global Tiger Workshop declared 2010 to be the Year of the Tiger. The intention is to focus on saving the tiger species which is being decimated. I say so what? It's just lip service. When China won't support a ban on tiger farms, nor will it work to curb the ridiculous demand for tiger products in its own country, what's the point? China is the single biggest threat to the tiger and it won't participate seriously in its protection. So what if the tiger gets its own year? It's just fuzzy wuzzies and PR.

Tiger Dies from Poaching Injuries in Malaysia

Sad. Another tiger lost.

Tigers To Go Extinct in 15 Years? Thanks China!

It's not only China, but all Asian countries that are playing a major role in reducing this beautiful animal's number. As this article points out, tigers are worth more dead than alive if you use humanity's flawed accounting system.

India Reaches Out to Neighbors to Save Tigers

They have been pretty frustrated with China, who really doesn't give a rip about tigers...unless they can raise them on farms for "medicinal" harvest and other capitalist pursuits. Anyway, India is appealing to its other neighbors which would include Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Tiger Killed in India

It may not be poaching this time though.

A tiger was found dead outside the Kohra forest range of Kaziranga on Saturday, sparking suspicions of revenge killing by angry residents of adjoining villages. With this, the big cat death toll in the national park rose to three this year.

The carcass was spotted beyond the park boundary, near an upcoming resort in the Mohpara area. The tiger was aged between seven and eight and may have died around two days ago. Forest officials ruled out a poaching bid, for the corpse had not been mutilated and no organs were missing. "We found the ninth rib of the tiger broken and partially calcified. We are waiting for the report on the exact cause of death," said Kaziranga divisional forest officer D D Gogoi.

Over the past week, tigers have frequently lifted livestock from the villages outside Kaziranga, with a tiger killing a domestic pig in the park's Sildubi area on Saturday itself. This has given credence to the perception that the animal had died in a revenge attack.

Tiger Slaughtered in Indonesian Zoo

Tigers are not safe anywhere. A Sumatran female at the Taman Rimbo Zoo was drugged by poachers, slaughtered and harvested for her parts.

Just awful.

Central London Shop Raided for Illegal Wildlife Products

Not surprisingly, they raided a shop selling Chinese traditional medicines.

From the Telegraph...

Detectives seized 200 products believed to be made from endangered animals including musk deer, leopards and tigers.

The store in Lisle Street, at the heart of London's Chinatown, specialises in traditional Asian medicine.

The raid took place on the day an amendment to the law controlling illegal trade in endangered species came into effect.

The regulations closed a legal loophole which enabled traders to pretend animal products came from countries with lower levels of protection.

India Takes More Steps to Protect Tigers

But is it enough? From the Press Association...

India is to amend its wildlife crime laws to protect the country's tigers, a government minister said.

Environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh said that speeding up justice as well as hefty fines are needed to strengthen the Wildlife Protection Act.

He added that the forest ministry, state governments and a separate authority on the management of tiger reserves had agreed to work together to ensure conservation of the endangered animal.

Nearly 80,000 to 100,000 families inhabiting core areas of tiger reserves will be relocated and given £12,500 each as part of the measures.

The minister said that nearly six million hectares of land will be brought under green cover within the next six years, since funds to create more forests had recently been released.

This will increase the habitat area for tigers, who prefer to live and hunt in thick vegetation.