The Chinese year of the tiger: what can the EU do to save the tiger? (Ilford South Liberal Democrats)

Ilford South Liberal Democrats <info@libdems.org.uk>

The Chinese year of the tiger: what can the EU do to save the tiger?

February 22, 2010 5:00 PM
Originally published by Sarah Ludford MEP

The tiger - the world's most potent symbol of biodiversity - is in crisis. Only around 3,000 remain in the wild and these last remaining populations are in serious danger from habitat loss and poaching.

But all is not lost. 2010 is the Chinese Year of the Tiger, a symbolic time to redouble our efforts to protect this species and everything it stands for.

Despite being found in fourteen countries, more than half of the remaining tigers are in India.

As a result, India has become a focus for criminal networks which kill tigers and illegally smuggle their parts to China where they are used for decoration, luxury clothing and traditional medicine.

To make matters worse, tiger farmers in China are calling on their government to lift its ban on the trade in tiger parts so they can sell products from their captive bred animals. This would have a devastating effect on the remaining wild animals by stimulating a market which they can be laundered into.

What role can Europe play in the coming months? Well to begin with we can raise awareness of the issue and ensure that tiger products are not being bought and sold in our towns and cities, and ask people not to buy products containing tiger parts when abroad.

Secondly, Europe has a powerful voice on the international stage. We play an important role in many bodies which deal with biodiversity and the environment, including the UN's Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Recently the European Parliament passed a strong Resolution in advance of the next CITES meeting in March 2010, calling on EU's representatives to push for stronger protection of tigers, and to oppose any moves to allow the trade in farmed tigers.

Finally, Europe can support those international agencies which can help to deal with wildlife crime, including Interpol, UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the World Customs Organization. These bodies can provide intelligence, training and coordination to officers and park rangers to help tackle the criminal networks behind the wildlife trade.

Saving the tiger is not just about saving a species, but about everything it stands for, the forests it lives in and the people which depend on them. It is symptomatic of how we treat the wider environment and our ability to deal with whole range of environmental problems. If we cannot save the tiger, what can we save?

(This blog piece is the first of a series of blog posts about tiger conservation that will be published monthly on the website of the European Parliament Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals, www.animalwelfareintergroup.eu.)