WWF - Tiger facts & future

Deer finding documents success of prey recovery program for endangered Amur tigers and leopards

2013-05-15

Jilin, China – The recent discovery of a preyed upon deer is seen as a major sign of progress in the efforts to boost the populations of endangered Amur tigers and leopards in China.

The body of the dead sika deer was discovered by a ranger of Lanjia forest farm, located at the east foot of the Changbai Mountain, one of WWF's Tigers Alive Initiative's landscapes, in China's northeastern Jilin Province.

The deer's injuries were consistent with an attack by a large predator, conservation officers said. The finding comes two months after some four sika deer were killed by predator from a scene one kilometre away.

The latest victim was among a group of more than 30 captive-bred red and sika deer that were released in July 2012 by WWF and Wangqing nature reserve administration in the hope of restoring prey population to attract Amur tigers and leopards in the Wangqing area. It was confirmed to be from the released herd according to the chip implanted into its ear.

The body was barely consumed, indicating that the predator left the scene, possibly because of disturbance, according to Shi Quanhua, a WWF Amur Tiger Programme Officer. A camera trap has been set up nearby in order to identify the predator in case it comes back for the prey.

"Again, it proves that big cats like tigers or leopards do live in Wangqing's forests and the Wangqing Forestry Bureau has yielded impressive results at the demonstration project of the wild Amur tiger and leopard habitat ecosystem," Shi said.

Meanwhile, a large number of feces, hairs and constant beds were found on the site proving the spot to be a place frequented by a herd of sika deer, which indirectly demonstrates that the released sika deer of last year have survived the winter.

"Despite heavy snows in the passing winter, none of the released deer died of coldness, hunger or illness, but only by predators," Shi said.

Amur tigers and leopards have been recorded more frequently by WWF and the Wangqing Forestry Bureau during patrolling and monitoring since winter.

"At Lanjia forest farm alone, we have captured photographs and videos over 20 times, which is three times more than those of the last three years.

"This indicates that the prey recovery project has made preliminary progress and it has been proved to be very important for the survival and settlement of Amur tigers and leopards in Wangqing," says Wang Fuyou, Director of the Conservation Division of the Wangqing Forestry Bureau.

"That said the density of sika and red deer in this area is still very low. Through the prey recovery project, WWF looks to establish a self-recovery red and sika deer population there, so as to provide sufficient food for wild Amur tigers and leopards as well as realize their settlement and reproduction habitat," said Zhu Jiang, head of WWF Northeast China Office.

A WWF-backed survey shows that the lack of prey is a major hurdle in supporting the settlement of tigers in Northeast China.

The wild tiger population declined from an estimated 200 to about 20 today within the past five decades in China. The adjacent forested habitat of the Russian Far East holds a significantly larger population, between 430-500 tigers.

Recent sightings show that the population is slowly moving across the Chinese border and into the country's Wanda and Changbai mountains, part of the Wangqing Nature Reserve.

WWF-China and its partners are carrying out a number of conservation measures to save the Amur tiger. These include helping ungulate populations such as wild boar and roe deer to recover; stopping poaching by helping local authorities carry out anti-poaching activities; and increasing and connecting protected tiger habitats so tigers can safely move from one area to another.

One tiger needs to eat the equivalent of a medium size deer every week to survive and without adequate food, the tiger population rapidly declines.

APP suppliers pulping new bid for sustainability credentials in Kalimantan?

2013-03-27

Pontianak, West Kalimantan – NGO observers have claimed that pulp timber suppliers to controversial paper giant Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) are continuing to log tropical forest and dig drainage canals through peat soils in Kalimantan, regardless of the new Forest Conservation Policy (FCP) launched with much fanfare by APP and parent group Sinar Mas last month.

APP, noting that the suppliers have denied breaching requirements of the FCP, is investigating a complaint lodged by the Consortium of Kalimantan's Forest Monitoring NGOs (RPHK)

Over the same period that heavy machinery was apparently engaged in logging and dredging on the two concessions , representatives of both APP and the two supplier companies hosted a meeting 80 km away in provincial capital Pontianak to convince sceptical local NGOs that the FCP was not yet another company greenwashing stunt.

APP has previously announced an end to tropical forest pulping in 2004, 2007 and 2009. On February 5 it hosted a gala announcement that it had halted tropical forest clearing on its own and independent supplier concessions throughout Indonesia on January 31, with heavy equipment impounded pending independent assessment of conservation values and above ground carbon.

RPHK members, who were among those present at the February 26 meeting in Potianak, lodged a complaint on the basis of extensive photographic and video evidence of the work on concessions of PT Asia Tani Persada (ATP) and PT Daya Tani Kalbar (DTK), two of the four companies disclosed by APP as West Kalimantan suppliers to its mills in devastated Sumatra.

RPHK observers familiar with the areas of the two concessions said they contained orang-utan habitat. The promised assessments would have examined whether and where orang-utans are still present.

"We are really concerned to see how heavy equipment is still actively clearing natural forest, digging peat canals and clearing the land in the two supplier's concessions in West Kalimantan. This is a clear violation of the APP's FCP that APP socialized in Pontianak on 26 February," said Baruni Hendri, a spokesperson of the RPHK consortium.

"Our findings showed that APP is not taking their conservation policy seriously, thus making RPHK doubt APP's seriousness on the implementation of their commitment."

APP has issued a statement that "Our policy is clear - there would be no natural forest clearance anywhere in our supply chain and every supplier has been advised of he policy details."

"We contacted the suppliers and both have strongly indicated that they are not in breach of our policy and that the likely cause is concession boudaries that overlap with other industries."

WWF-Indonesia, a member of RPHK with local NGOs, has called on APP and its parent, the giant Sinar Mas Group, to quickly close a loophole allowing mills to continue accepting "stockpiled" mixed tropical hardwoods for an indefinite period, nominating May 5 as giving ample time to clear stockpiles. The evidence of current clearing vindicates concerns that freshly cleared timber will continue to be "laundered" into pulp mills.

"We call on global buyers of pulp and paper to remain skeptical and await independent verification by independent NGOs of the credible field implementation of APP's FCP before making any new purchasing decision," said Anton P. Wijaya, Director Executive of WALHI (Friends of Earth Indonesia) chapter West Kalimantan.

Member groups of the Consortium of Kalimantan Forest Monitoring Volunteers (RPHK) able to provide information in English are WWF-Indonesia (Contact : Ian Hilman, +6282121868624, ihilman@wwf.or.id), and TITIAN, an active biodiversity conservation institute for local community sustainable benefits in West Kalimantan (Contact Director, Sulhani +62561-6589198). Other member groups include AKAR, an illegal wildlife crime monitoring network in Borneo, actively raising public awareness about the importance of wildlife protection and their habitat; JPIK Kalimantan Barat, a civil society network that focuses on monitoring effort of the sustainable forest management for Forest Plantation Wood Production Permit; Link-AR Borneo (Lingkaran Advokasi dan Riset), a civil society organization focus on advocacy based on research or investigation related to land plunder and biodiversity degradation, as well as community empowerment ( www.linkarborneo.com); SAMPAN (Sahabat Masyarakat Pantai), a civil society organization focus on advocacy for costal and watershed communities (www.sampankalimantan.org) and LEMBAH, an active institute in Bengkayang District for social and economic empowerment based on environment.

Photos and videos of this issue can be accessed through:
www.linkarborneo.com and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o54C3jf6PLYRPHK.

New study reveals scale of persistent illegal tiger trade

2013-03-07

Bangkok, Thailand, 7th March 2013—Parts of more than 1400 Tigers have been seized across Asia in the past 13 years, according to TRAFFIC's latest analysis of confiscations, which includes new data for 2010-2012.

Reduced to Skin and Bones Revisited finds that parts of at least 1425 Tigers had been seized across all but one of the 13 Tiger range countries between 2000 and 2012. For Cambodia alone, no seizures were recorded at all during the period.

Although it is not yet possible to show a definite trend, the analysis provides clear evidence that illegal trade in Tigers, their parts and products, persists as a major conservation concern, says TRAFFIC.

A total of 654 seizures of Tiger parts ranging from skin to bones, to teeth, claws and skulls took place during this period, an average of 110 Tigers killed for trade per year or just over two per week.

89% of seizures occur outside protected areas, emphasizing the importance of anti-trafficking actions to disrupt trade chains and prevent incursions into Tiger habitat. The benefits of such analysis to enhance law enforcement efforts to protect Tigers are obvious.

"If more robust information was routinely collected, analysed and shared between countries, real inroads could be made into targeting the smuggling syndicates behind Tiger trafficking," said Natalia Pervushina, Tiger Trade Programme Leader for TRAFFIC and WWF.

The report, a joint effort by TRAFFIC and the WWF Tigers Alive Initiative, was launched today at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) meeting currently underway in Bangkok, Thailand. Later this week governments will debate efforts underway to protect Tigers and other Asian big cats.

A significant finding in the updated analysis was increased recording of seizures involving live Tigers – 61 individuals were seized in the three-year period since the last full CITES meeting took place in 2010, representing 50% of overall numbers (123) recorded since 2000. Thailand was the most significant location for interdiction of live Tiger trade (30 Tigers), followed by Lao PDR (11) and Indonesia (9) and Viet Nam (4).

"Given the low population estimates for wild tigers in Thailand, Lao PDR and Viet Nam, combined with the presence of captive Tiger facilities within these three countries, there are serious questions as to the source of these live Tigers in trade," said Nick Cox, Species Programme Manager for WWF-Greater Mekong.

Of the 13 Tiger range countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, Viet Nam), only India had kept sufficiently detailed seizure records to allow meaningful analysis to identify the 'hotspots' where Tiger trade was taking place.

Based on the information from India, five 'hotspot' locations were identified, including Delhi, while the other four were close to protected areas in different parts of the country (Uttar Pradesh, central India, West Bengal (Sundarbans) and the southern India landscape of the Western Ghats).

"The quality of the information from India allowed us to perform a spatial analysis and pinpoint the key locations where Tiger trade is taking place," said Sarah Stoner, TRAFFIC's Tiger Trade Data Specialist and author of the report. "Countries should be made to keep to their commitments under CITES to protect wild Tigers by providing robust reporting on the current situation."

Under agreements made at earlier CITES meetings, Tiger range countries have to state what action they have taken to protect Asian big cats. As of the start of the CITES meeting currently underway in Bangkok, only China, India and Thailand1 had submitted appropriate reports in compliance with a CITES requirement to do so.2

WWF and TRAFFIC are urging countries engaged in the Global Tiger Recovery Program to develop a harmonized process for reporting to the GTRP that will also fulfil the requirements of CITES with respect to Tigers.

-ENDS-

For further information contact

Dr. Richard Thomas, TRAFFIC's Global Communications Co-ordinator, Richard.thomas@traffic.org, +66 904 169 478

Notes

1 Russia also submitted a report, but not in the appropriate format.
2 CITES Resolution 12.5 (Rev. CoP15) on the Conservation of and trade in Tigers and other Appendix-I Asian big cat species.

India and Nepal announce joint tiger survey

2013-01-08

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, India - The governments of India and Nepal have announced the first ever joint tiger survey in the Terai Arc Landscape, which spans across the two countries and has one of the world's largest connected wild tiger populations. The announcement was made today at the 6^th Indo-Nepal consultative meeting organized between the two governments.

"Bilateral meetings between India and Nepal have resulted in positive outcomes for wildlife conservation," said Dr S. P. Yadav, Deputy Inspector General of the Government of India's National Tiger Conservation Authority. "Our governments need to continue strengthening trans-boundary ties for protecting tigers and enabling their free movement between India and Nepal."

Government-led teams will work with partners, including WWF Nepal, from January to March 2013. On the Indian side, fieldwork for the survey had begun in November 2012. The survey will use camera trap technologies and other methods to provide an estimate of tiger populations, prey abundance and density. It will cover all 15 protected areas in the Terai Arc Landscape, as well as other possible areas where tigers may be living and moving i.e. community forests, park buffer zones and critical "green corridors" that link the various forest patches. The protected areas covered include well-known tiger areas such as India's Corbett Tiger Reserve and Nepal's Chitwan National Park. India and Nepal will produce a joint tiger status report on the survey results.

"This shared conservation landscape gives our governments common ground to work together to save wild tigers, which is a source of pride for us all," said Mr. Bishwo Nath Oli, head of the Nepal delegation and Joint Secretary of the Government of Nepal's Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation. "The survey results will play an important role in shaping strategies to get us to our ultimate goal of Tx2, doubling the number of wild tigers, which was set during the historic Tiger summit in 2010."

Current estimates put the tiger population in the Terai Arc Landscape at 500, making it a region with one of the highest tiger densities in the world. Stretching 965 km across India and Nepal, the Terai Arc Landscape allows tigers to disperse, conserving their natural behaviour, ecology, and genetic diversity. It has become a global priority for tiger conservation since its inception more than a decade ago.

"WWF is proud to be a partner in this landmark survey and we remain committed to saving wild tigers in the Terai, something we have been actively involved in since our very first tiger conservation project with the Government of Nepal in the early 1970s," said Mr. Anil Manandhar, WWF Nepal Country Representative. "Saving tigers requires collaborative actions to curb wildlife crime, together with managing the tiger's habitat, which is a primary challenge in the landscape."

The two-day meeting agreed on an 11-point resolution that stressed on, amongst others, strengthening trans-boundary efforts in curbing poaching and the illegal trade of wildlife and forest products, preparing tiger recovery plans for selected trans-boundary sites, pursuing proactive measures to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, promoting smart infrastructure development that does not adversely affect key wildlife habitat, and promoting exchange visits to learn best practices in community participation in conservation. A committee at the central and field levels will be established and mobilized to help take action on the agreed resolutions.

"The Terai Arc joint survey is an excellent opportunity for India and Nepal to strengthen their trans-boundary cooperation," said Mr. Ravi Singh, CEO and Secretary General of WWF-India. "WWF hopes that the results of this survey will lead to better understanding of the status of tigers in the Terai and stronger on-the-ground conservation actions that will ensure the long-term survival of tigers and other wildlife in this area. WWF thanks and acknowledges the efforts and actions of the governments and their agencies, including the Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar Forest Departments."

For more information contact:
Akash Shrestha, Sr. Communications and Marketing Manager, WWF Nepal, +977 9801057566, akash.shrestha@wwfnepal.org

Anil Cherukupalli, Sr. Communications Officer-Species and Landscapes, WWF India, +91 11 4150 4783, anil.cherukupalli@wwfindia.org

Illegal wildlife trade threatens national security, says WWF report

2012-12-12

NEW YORK - Perceived by organized criminals to be high profit and low risk, the illicit trade in wildlife is worth at least US$ 19 billion per year, making it the fourth largest illegal global trade after narcotics, counterfeiting, and human trafficking, according to a new report commissioned by WWF.

Besides driving many endangered species towards extinction, illegal wildlife trade strengthens criminal networks, undermines national security, and poses increasing risks to global health, according to the report, Fighting illicit wildlife trafficking: A consultation with governments, which will be unveiled today at a briefing for United Nations ambassadors in New York.

"Wildlife crime has escalated alarmingly in the past decade. It is driven by global crime syndicates, and so we need a concentrated global response," says Jim Leape, Director General of WWF International.

"It is communities, often the world's poorest, that lose the most from this illicit trade, while criminal gangs and corrupt officials profit. Frontline rangers are losing their lives and families that depend on natural resources are losing their livelihoods," he said.

Much of the trade in illegal wildlife products is run by sophisticated criminal networks with broad international reach. The profits from wildlife trafficking are used to purchase weapons, finance civil conflicts and underwrite terrorist-related activities, the report finds.

The involvement of organized crime syndicates and rebel groups in wildlife crimes is increasing, according to interviews with governments and international organizations conducted by global advisory group Dalberg on behalf of WWF.

Report respondents agree that the absence of credible law enforcement, prosecution, penalties and other deterrents to wildlife trafficking reduces the perceived risks for criminal groups. They also say that consumer demand is exacerbated by the increased accessibility of illegal wildlife products through the internet.

"The demand for illegal wildlife products has risen in step with economic growth in consumer countries, and with the 'easy money' and high profits to be made from trafficking, organized criminals have seized the opportunity to profit," said Steven Broad, Executive Director of TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network.

Report interviewees stressed that illegal wildlife trade is almost always seen by governments as exclusively an environmental problem and is not treated as a transnational crime and justice issue.

"Governments need to address wildlife crime as a matter of urgency," Leape said. "It is not just a matter of environmental protection, but also of national security. It is time to put a stop to this profound threat to the rule of law."

Government officials say that a systematic approach is needed to fight illicit wildlife trafficking including greater resourcing, inter-ministerial cooperation, and the use of modern intelligence-led investigative techniques to identify and prosecute wildlife criminals.

Finally, governments and non-governmental organizations have an important role in holding countries publicly accountable for delivering on their international commitments, the report says. The Elephant Trade Information System, executed by TRAFFIC, and the recent WWF Wildlife Crime Scorecard provide examples of reporting initiatives that highlight countries failing to uphold their commitments.

Photos document success of prey recovery program for endangered Amur tigers

2012-12-03

Jilin, China -- A group of captive-bred red deer that were released into a nature reserve in Northeast China's Changbai Mountains four months ago have adapted to the area and successfully integrated with wild deer, photos and a video clip by forestry workers show.

The images mark a major progress in the effort to boost prey population for endangered wild Amur tigers, part of a tiger recovery trial project run by WWF China, the Jilin Provincial Forestry Department and the Wangqing Forestry Bureau.

Three individuals, among a group of five deer that were captured in photos and a short video clip, were identified as captive-bred red deer. Another was believed to be wild, but the remaining deer could not be identified due to its position in the pictures.

"This is an indication that the released deer have settled in the wild," said Shi Quanhua, a programme officer at WWF China's Northeast field office who is in charge of repopulating the prey for Amur tigers.

"The merger of captive-bred deer with wild group is conducive to population growth in the wild. It will also increase the generic diversity of the wild deer, whose density has been extremely low, enhance the population dynamics and eventually accelerate the wild population recovery," said Shi.

More than 30 hand-picked captive-bred red and sika deer were released into the wild in Wangqing on July 29 - Global Tiger Day - to help repopulate the area with desirable prey for Amur tigers.

No space, no food for China's tigers

Habitat degradation, deforestation, poaching and a small prey base in the country's northeast have led the wild tiger population to decline from an estimated 200 to about 20 today within the past five decades. Wild Amur tigers in China are mostly confined to the Changbai Mountains area in Jilin Province and Wanda Mountains in Heilongjiang Province.

The adjacent forested habitat of the Russian Far East holds a significantly larger population, between 430-500 tigers.

But recent sightings show that the population is slowly moving across the Chinese border and into the country's Wanda and Changbai mountains, part of the Wangqing Nature Reserve.

A recent WWF-backed survey shows that the lack of prey is a major hurdle in supporting the settlement of tigers in Northeast China. The same survey shows that the number of ungulate animals in the Changbai area - especially favored prey such as red deer and sika deer - is too low to support the recovery of the Amur tiger population.

"The future of Amur tigers can only be secured if its prey population is given time to recover. That's the crucial first step," said Dr. Zhu Jiang, head of WWF-China's Northeast Programme Office.

"The images show that it is possible to increase the prey stock by releasing captive-bred deer into the wild. As the trial project develops, WWF China is keen to promote the model across the entire Changbai Mountains area to accelerate the restoration of a healthy and complete ecological system. That would contribute to the efforts toward the goal of doubling the population of wild Amur tigers by 2020," said Zhu.

Deputy director of the Wangqing Forestry Bureau, Tang Lijun, said the authority is to strengthen law enforcement on wildlife protection and enhance its cooperation with WWF China, especially on exploration on recovery of ungulate animals' population, as part of its commitment to providing better living conditions for Amur tigers.

WWF-China and its partners are carrying out a number of conservation measures to save the Amur tiger. These include helping ungulate populations such as wild boar and roe deer to recover; stopping poaching by helping local authorities carry out anti-poaching activities; and increasing and connecting protected tiger habitats so tigers can safely move from one area to another.

One tiger needs to eat the equivalent of a medium size deer every week to survive and without adequate food, the tiger population rapidly declines.

For more information please contact:

Qiu Wei, Senior Communications Officer, WWF China, wqiu@wwfchina.org, +86 10 6511 6272

Poaching still biggest threat to recovery of world's tiger populations

2012-11-23

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Serious gaps in protection are leaving tigers exposed to poachers, a new WWF study says, but this could be reversed if more investments are made in staff, equipment, and training programs for rangers that are working to protect the scattered populations of the endangered species in the wild.

WWF released the findings today to mark the 2nd anniversary of the historic St. Petersburg Tiger Summit, a high-level meeting hosted by the Russian Government and World Bank that saw 13 tiger range governments pledge to double wild tiger numbers from the current 3,200 to 6,000 plus by 2022 (TX2).

Covering 135 critical areas within the 12 landscapes where WWF currently supports tiger conservation, the survey found many of the sites remain poorly managed and under-resourced and therefore remain highly vulnerable to poachers.

"Poaching continues to be the single-most immediate threat to the survival of the tiger in the wild and also the greatest barrier to achieving the TX2 goal," said Mike Baltzer, leader of WWF's Tigers Alive Initiative. "If we don't work as fast as possible towards ending poaching in these places then we cannot trust that these last remaining populations of tigers, and their prey, are safe for longer term recovery of this endangered species."

The survey also shows that the same sites are in danger of becoming "paper parks", i.e.
parks that are legally protected but are not being actively managed and protected on the ground.

Although 90% of the sites surveyed are legally protected, less than half have protection-specific management plans (with the exception of Russia). Across South and Southeast Asia only 12% of sites had the full number of planned staff in place and over 50% were not trained or equipped to an adequate level.

"The report shows that while important government commitments have been made, and much action has been accelerated, we are still far from what is needed to establish the very basics of tiger recovery," Baltzer added.

Moving forward: six ways to increase tiger numbers

The survey examined six key elements related to effective management and protection against poaching: legal protection status, protection management, effective patrolling, intelligence networks, arrests and prosecutions as well as training and resources for field staff.

Investments in these areas are needed to not only achieve Zero Poaching, but to demonstrate to that the commitments made at the Summit are being actively pursued and are evident in the increased efforts to protect tigers. WWF is committed to Zero Poaching and will use the survey results to help identify gaps for future investments.

Global Tiger Recovery Program and Cards4Tigers

The 2010 Tiger Summit, governments also endorsed the Global Tiger Recovery Programme, an amalgamation of national tiger conservation actions and global targets towards meeting the TX2 goal. As a follow-up to the Tiger Summit, government officials met during the 2nd Asian Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation conducted in Bhutan in October 2012, where they committed to taking immediate and specific action over the next year to strengthen protection.

Since the Tiger Summit, WWF has been working with governments, NGOs and private partners to find ways to improve the effectiveness of ranger patrols through the development of law enforcement monitoring systems across Asia, training teams and key stakeholders in the latest methods in patrolling, prevention and conservation. WWF is presently supporting protection field staff and rangers through the Tigers Alive Initiative's "Cards4Tigers"

For more information contact:

Chris Chaplin, Media Relations Manger, WWF International, +86 139 117 474 72, cchaplin@wwf.sg

Russia boosts protection for tigers

2012-10-30

Trade, transportation and possession of endangered species will all be considered crimes under new legislation proposed by the Kremlin, following discussions with WWF.

Tiger hunting is considered by many to be the biggest single factor in the decline of tigers this century - resulting in the world losing 97 per cent of its wild tigers, including four entire sub-species which have been driven to extinction. It is estimated that there may be as few as 3,200 of the endangered animals now remaining in the wild.

Unfortunately, until now, law in the Russian Federation, home to many of the world's remaining tigers, only considered the actual killing of an animal to be a crime. Poachers who have been apprehended carrying the animals, or their parts, have attempted to avoid punishment by claiming they had found the animals already deceased.

"This new development is a significant step towards protection of tigers and other endangered species threatened by trade and poaching," said Igor Chestin, CEO of WWF Russia, who was heavily involved in negotiations on the issue with the government. Russia has agreed for its Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to prepare the draft law in close cooperation with WWF.

Indicative of the problem, a man who was recently found in possession of the remains of six tigers, and another with eight tiger skins, might only be be eligible for an insignificant fine under the current law.

WWF and its partner wildlife monitoring organization TRAFFIC, are currently conducting a global campaign aimed at achieving greater protection for tigers and other major threatened species, such as rhinos and elephants.

Demand for ivory, rhino horn and tiger parts from consumer markets in Asia is driving wild populations of these species dangerously close to extinction. WWF is calling on governments to combat illegal wildlife trade and reduce demand for endangered species products.

"Elevating trade, transportation and possession of endangered species to a serious crime is a long-awaited measure that we believe will dramatically reduce poaching," said Mr Chestin, who also added that WWF is also happy to see steps being made towards increased protection for tiger habitats.

The Primorsky region, where 90 per cent of the Russian tigers live, wasidentified and promoted as one location where no commercial timber harvest should take place in its regional protected areas and nut harvesting zones. The regional administration was also ordered to prevent any commercial logging in the upper and middle stream sections of the Bikin River.

By the 1940s, hunting had driven the Amur tiger to the brink of extinction - with no more than 40 individuals remaining in the wild.

The subspecies was saved when Russia became the first country in the world to grant the tiger full protection.

By the 1980s, the Amur tiger population had increased to around 500. Continued conservation and antipoaching efforts by many partners - including WWF - have helped keep the population stable at around 400 individuals. In 2010, the Russian Government adopted the Strategy for Tiger Conservation, making commitments to double the number of wild tigers by 2022 and to stiffen punishment for those caught smuggling tiger products.

Russia pushes for change to advance on doubling wild tiger numbers

2012-10-27

The Russian Government is planning to introduce stiff measures to combat trafficking of tigers and their body parts, as part of efforts to double wild tiger numbers by 2022. These measures include handing down jail terms to those convicted of selling wildlife contraband, including tiger parts and products. Currently, the offence carries minimal fines, without jail terms.

This was considered at a special meeting chaired by the Russian President's Chief of Staff, Sergei Ivanov, earlier this week. The aim of the meeting was to review Amur tiger conservation's achievements and problems, two years after the historic International Tiger Conservation Forum held in St. Petersburg in November 2010 and which Russia co-hosted with the World Bank.

At the high-level Forum, also known as the Tiger Summit, all 13 tiger range countries committed to the goal of doubling wild tiger numbers by 2022 (TX2). They also presented the Global Tiger Recovery Program which is an amalgamation of national tiger conservation actions and global targets towards meeting the TX2 goal.

Last August, WWF Russia asked President Vladimir Putin to convene a meeting to review the country's progress on commitments made at the Forum as this has stalled. The President agreed and appointed Mr. Ivanov to convene the meeting, which took place at the same time as the 2^nd Asian Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation in Bhutan.

"Two years have passed since the Forum was held with some important measures on tiger conservation adopted," said Igor Chestin, WWF Russia's CEO. "The government has created the Land of the Leopard National Park, raised wages for state inspectors, and increased funding for protected areas. But progress towards fulfilling some commitments has stalled. We asked for a meeting so we can understand the reasons and plan our next steps. Although the list of official decisions is still being finalized, we are happy that solutions for all complex issues have been found."

Despite the serious interest expressed by the Russian President in the conservation of tigers and other rare species, no tiger poachers convicted since the Tiger Summit were given jail sentences. Amendments to legislation to impose criminal sanctions for the transportation and trade of rare species have yet to be introduced. As a result, two dealers detained in Primorye in 2012 – one caught with 6 tiger carcasses and the other with 8 tiger skins – are likely to face insignificant fines only. Destruction of critical tiger habitat also continues. Protected forests, wildlife refuge and Korean pine nut harvesting zones are leased out for commercial logging.

"Neighbouring China imposes the death penalty for the killing or sale of tiger parts, while in Russia, the maximum penalty is a fine of 2 000 rubles (less than US$100), and there is no penalty for transporting wildlife contraband," said Yury Darman, head of WWF Russia Amur branch. "We definitely are not suggesting introducing the death penalty in Russia, but poachers and dealers must be made aware that if convicted, they cannot escape imprisonment. I hope that decorating the walls of elite houses with tiger and leopard skins will not become prestigious but punishable! Without the demand, gunshots will no longer disturb our taiga forests."

Ahead of the meeting, the Governor of Russia Far East's Primorsky Province, Vladimir Miklushevsky, signed a decree creating the Sredneussuriisky Wildlife Refuge on 18 October. The area is the only corridor linking the endangered tiger population in China's Wandashan Mountains to the main population in Russia. Though the Refuge's creation was part of the Global Tiger Recovery Program, and subject of a WWF feasibility study in 2010, the previous provincial administration declined to establish it and went on to lease out part of its area to a timber company, JSC Les Export, for commercial logging. It was only in the last days before the presidential meeting that the new provincial administration was able to convince JSC Les Export to voluntarily cancel the lease contract.

The meeting also decided to take all necessary measures to protect the Tayozhny Refuge, a critical tiger breeding ground in the Sikhote-Aline Mountains. JSC Les Export is currently suing for the right to conduct logging operations in the Refuge. The Chinese-funded company also has a lease in a part of the Pozharskaya Korean pine nut harvesting zone. Pozharskaya is an important area for both local people and tigers. WWF believes that an amendment to Russia's Forest Code should be introduced for all pine nut harvesting zones within the Amur tiger range to not lease them out, but to allow them to serve their main purpose, namely that of sustaining ecosystem services and gathering of non-timber forest products by local people.

Another topic of discussion at the meeting was the creation of a federal refuge in the middle and upper reaches of the Bikin River. The area is the homeland of the indigenous Nanai and Udege tribes, so provisions have to be made to accommodate their traditional way of life. Establishing a protected area with a regime and management system agreed to with local indigenous peoples is the best way to ensure they never have to wake up to the sound of loggers felling their native forests due to another corrupt timber auction.

WWF welcomes tiger range countries' call for increase in investment in the frontlines of tiger conservation

2012-10-24

WWF today welcomes the commitment by tiger range governments to increase investment in the frontlines of tiger conservation, re-affirming their commitment to doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022.*

Making the call at the closing of the 2^nd Asian Ministerial Conference (AMC) on Tiger Conservation, hosted by the Royal Government of Bhutan and the World Bank's Global Tiger Initiative, the ministers and heads of delegations of the tiger range countries specifically asked for intensified support in actively strengthening the frontlines through enhancing recognition, resources and capacity of frontline staff to fight against tiger poaching. The call is included in the Thimpu Affirmative Nine-Point Action Agenda on Tiger Conservation, issued at the end of the conference.

These frontline staff – forest guards, park wardens, rangers and other field enforcement staff – working tirelessly under harsh conditions and facing danger everyday from ruthless poachers, are critical to achieving Zero Poaching. Yet, they are not always fully appreciated nor recognized for their work.

"The declaration of intent by the countries at the 2^nd AMC is very welcome and should be highly commended," said Mike Baltzer, Leader of WWF's Tigers Alive Initiative. "It is an important step towards Zero Poaching, which is a critical immediate component of the efforts to double wild tiger numbers in the next ten years. Only calling for investment in frontline staff, however, may not be enough to make a sharp and significant dent in the levels of poaching. We need a major intensive, collaborative push by all concerned – tiger range countries working with partners and donors – to eradicate, if not drastically reduce poaching as soon as possible. Each day's delay is a set back for tigers and each time a tiger is poached, it makes the TX2 goal harder to reach."

Poaching of tigers, to feed consumer demand for their body parts and products, is now the main factor undermining efforts and reversing the gains made by governments, donors and other partners working towards the 2022 goal. Reports of poaching and smuggling of tigers and their body parts are still rife.

Other positive signals of progress and commitment to tiger conservation were included in the Thimpu Nine Point Agenda and recent announcements provided similar demonstrations of intent. For instance, in mid-October, the Indian government proposed a manifold increase in its tiger conservation budget for the next five years.

The conference included a commitment to intensify trans-boundary collaboration against the illegal tiger trade and to launch targeted demand reduction programmes. The work of frontline staff was highlighted when Her Royal Highness Princess Azhi Kezang Wangmo Wangchuck awarded certificate of recognition to five rangers and foresters working in various parks in Bhutan during the inaugural session of the conference.

Bhutan was a perfect and inspirational setting for the conference. The small nation ranks as among the most biodiverse countries on Earth, has a population that is supportive of tiger conservation, and boasts one of the most progressive nature conservation policy frameworks in the world, including a commitment to maintain 60% forest cover in its constitution. At present, forest cover exceeds 70%.

Also at the conference, government delegates from all 13 tiger range countries committed to making improvements towards enhanced protected area management. Cambodia also announced plans to create an inviolate space in its Eastern Plains as the basis for a reintroduction programme to recover tiger populations in the country.

Bhutan's Agriculture Minister, Dr. Pema Gyamtsho, released the Tigers Across Borders report, which details findings of the first joint tiger monitoring study undertaken by Bhutan and India. It was the first time any two countries had designed together and conducted a tiger survey simultaneously. Partners involved in the survey included the governments of Bhutan and India, WWF, ATREE, Aranyak and The Bhutan Foundation. The survey identified a total of 14 individual tigers, five each living in India's Manas Tiger Reserve and the adjoining Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan, and four that are common to both parks. This reinforces the need for collaborative management of trans-boundary parks and landscapes.

* In November 2010, all 13 tiger range countries committed to the goal of doubling wild tiger numbers by 2022 (Tx2) at the Tiger Summit hosted by the Russian Government in St. Petersburg.

Five foresters and rangers from Bhutan awarded certificates of recognition

2012-10-23

Five dedicated foresters and rangers from Bhutan were awarded certificates of recognition by Her Royal Highness Princess Azhi Kezang Wangmo Wangchuck at the inaugural session of the Second Asian Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation.

The five are:

Tarjey, Senior Forester at the SamdrupJonkhar Territorial Division Forestry, in service for 36 years.
Gem Tshering, Officer in-charge of Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary, in service for 22 years.
Sonam Wangdi, Senior Park Ranger of Royal Manas National Park, in service for 13 years.
Namgay Dorji, Senior Forest Guard of Jigmi Dorji National Park, in service for 13 years.
Dorji Duba, a Forester at Jigmi Singye Wangchuck National Park, in service for 12 years.

Tiger Conference kicks off with positive reviews

2012-10-22

Spirits were set high as Her Royal Highness, Princess Azhi Kezang Wangmo Wangchuck, graced the second Asian Tiger Ministerial Conference by awarding certificates of appreciation to five Bhutanese field rangers for their contribution to Tiger conservation.

The conference kicked off today with positive reviews to the follow-up of commitments made at the Tiger Summit held in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2010. Delegates from the 13 Tiger Range Countries (TRCs) shared how countries have now stepped up in finance and action and this could be further enhanced with support from international donors.

One of the major issues discussed during the conference was on how TRCs are working on equipping frontline staff faced with increasing tension and work in the field. In this regard, the role of Non-governmental Organizations such as WWF, in capacity building was felt to be essential.

There were also discussions on community-based conservation approaches on stimulating livelihoods to create a more tiger-friendly environment.

The TRC Delegates pointed out that since theirs are mostly developing countries, it is important people living in the tiger range areas are provided better alternative livelihood programs to combat increasing instances of human-wildlife conflict.

The fact that most TRCs are developing countries also highlighted land conflicts due to infrastructure development and the importance of the use of smart, green infrastructure.

The conference also recognized that TRCs increasingly are relying on science and technology to conduct regular census and monitoring. This, delegates felt, could be further enhanced by institutional collaboration among countries.

Such collaborations, delegates said, could also enhance transnational cooperation on biological corridors. The conference also recognized the need for better technology to monitor poaching.

New corridor links Amur tiger habitats in Russia and China

2012-10-19

Russia has established a new corridor linking two critical Amur tiger habitats in the Russia Far East and northeastern China, allowing the animals to move easily between the national borders.

The 72,700-hectare Sredneussuriisky (Sredne-Ussuriiskii) Wildlife Refuge in Primorsky Province, located on the Russia-China border, links Russia's Skhote-Alin mountain range with China's Wandashan mountain, which are both critical Amur tiger habitats. The Refuge's southern part is also the unique nesting ground of the Oriental stork. Up to 17 pairs of storks, or 2.5% the global population of this endangered species, nest on 20,0000 hectares of suitable wetlands in the Refuge.

With the establishment of this important ecological corridor, Russia has fulfilled another of its commitment on tiger conservation made in 2010 at the International Tiger Conservation Forum in St. Petersburg. Russia along with the other 12 tiger range countries had committed to doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022 at the Forum, which is also known as the Tiger Summit. They also agreed on the Global Tiger Recovery Program, which is an amalgamation of national tiger conservation actions and global targets.

The creation of Sredne-Ussuriiskii Wildlife Refuge was included in Russia's National Action Plan for Amur Tiger conservation, which had been developed with WWF Russia's input. Some measures of the Action Plan have already been undertaken. These included the ban on harvesting of Korean pine trees and upgrading of penalties for wildlife contraband.

"A year and a half ago, together with the public, we resisted the attempts of the timber industry to enter this area and start commercial logging," said Igor Chestin, CEO of WWF Russia. "The establishment of the Sredne-Ussuriiskii Wildlife Refuge is our joint victory and we are grateful to all our supporters for defending the forests of the Russian Amazon. The tigers of Russia and China now have an additional new home."

Vladimir Miklushevsky, Governor of Primorsky Province, signed the decree for establishing the Sredne-Ussuriiskii Wildlife Refuge on 18 October 2012. Together with the 40,000-hectare Pozharskaya Korean pine nut harvesting zone, they play a key role in Amur tiger conservation. These unique broadleaved pine forests in the Strelnikov mountain range are the only ecological corridor connecting tiger populations in Russia and China.

"Establishment of Sredne-Ussuriiskii Wildlife Refuge is key in transboundary tiger conservation efforts between Russia and China," said Yury Darman, director of WWF Russia Amur branch. "Without this Refuge, it is impossible to restore tiger population in China and provide for the tiger's existence in the north of Primorsky Province. It is an important step and just the beginning. We need to forever exclude the Pozharskaya Korean pine nut harvesting zone from commercial logging and transfer the lease to local residents for gathering non-timber forest products."

Pozharskaya is an important area for both local people and tigers. WWF is of the view that an amendment to Russia's Forest Code should be introduced for all pine nut harvesting zones within the Amur tiger range to not lease them out, but to allow them to serve their main purpose, namely that of sustaining ecosystem services and gathering of non-timber forest products by local people.

Indian Environment Minister, top celebrity pledge support for tiger conservation in Hyderabad

2012-10-17

Hyderabad, India - Indian Environment Minister Ms. Jayanti Natrajan joined award-winning film star Rana Dagubatti in a show of support for our planet's few remaining tigers, highlighting the vital role forest guards play in India and around the world protecting this endangered species.

With an estimated 3,200 tigers left in the wild, Rana and the minister showed their support to forest guards by signing Cards4tigers postcards, part of a WWF campaign to recognize thousands of frontline staff that work in harsh conditions to protect the rare animal.

"India has made significant progress in implementing efforts to protect and increase its wild tiger population. The last census reported an increase in tiger numbers by 20%, also revealing healthy tiger populations outside Tiger Reserves. India has a high level of commitment towards tiger conservation. We have recently enhanced the budgetary allocation for all endangered species, including that for tigers, substantially,'' said Indian Minister of Environment and Forests, Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan.

The show of support came as delegates at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) enter the high-level portion of the negotiations in Hyderabad, India. Host nation India yesterday set the talks - which aim to set solid biodiversity protection targets from now to 2020 - on positive footing with the announcement of US$50 million in funding that will be invested both domestically and shared with other developing nations.

Spurred by the momentum, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), WWF-India, Global Tiger Forum (GTF) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) gathered to discuss how much has changed since nations at the landmark 2010 Tiger Summit in St. Petersburg pledged to double the number of tigers living in the wild by 2022.

"It is overwhelming to hear about the dedication of forest guards to protect tigers in such difficult field conditions. I appeal to the public to recognize their efforts, and spare a thought by sending them a message of appreciation for their work. Let us motivate them further to continue their job with passion so that the tiger and our forests are conserved," said Rana Dagubatti.

Focusing on what has changed since tiger range countries set the ambitious target, the group reviewed state-of-the-art technology that has been adopted to monitor tigers and other wildlife, the recovery of tiger populations around the world, and efforts towards halting illegal wildlife trade and poaching. The Global Tiger Forum, an intergovernmental body for tiger range states, announced positive developments from Russia, and also reported that China will become a GTF member in the very near future.

"The intelligent and continuous monitoring of tigers and their prey, enhanced protection and better infrastructure planning are immediate and crucial aspects that must be stepped up if we are serious about conserving tigers,'' said Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO of WWF-India.

"Frontline protection is a crucial element that safeguard against poaching – the biggest threat to tigers today - and needs to be strengthened across tiger range states," he added.

For further information:

Aarti Khosla, WWF-India, +91-98111-99288, akhosla@wwfindia.net

Chris Chaplin, WWF-International, cchaplin@wwf.sg, Hyderabad: +91 96522 36722 or Singapore: +65-9826-3802

Russia Far East celebrates Tiger Day

2012-09-28

Vladivostok, Russia – The Russia Far East this week holds a marathon of festivities to honour the Amur tiger. The festivities culminate on Tiger Day, traditionally celebrated in the Russia Far East on the third Sunday in September. This year, Tiger Day falls on 30 September.

Tiger Day was first celebrated in Vladivostok, the Russia Far East's biggest city, in 2000 to spread awareness of the need for conserving the Amur tiger, the largest of the six big cat sub-species that still survive in the wild today. The sub-species numbers about 500, confined to the forests of the Russian Far East and in northeastern China.

"We wanted to celebrate the dawn of a new millennium in 2000 with something original and nature friendly," said Yulia Fomenko, communications officer at WWF Russia Amur branch. "It was Vladimir Troynin, a writer and wildlife biologist from the Russia Far East's Primorsky Province, who then came up with the idea of Tiger Day to show our love for the Amur tiger."

Since then, Tiger Day has taken off and declared an official holiday. Recognition of the Day grows with each passing year, with nature reserves taking an active part, and smaller cities and villages holding their own celebrations. This year, Tiger Day is being celebrated in the Amur tiger's entire range in the Russia Far East – in Khabarovsky, Amurskaya and Evreiskaya Provinces, in addition to Primorsky, which has the species on its coats of arms.

Festivities started as early as 20 September with street parades, school performances, tiger face painting and various contests – art, handmade souvenirs, and photo. The festivities reach a climax in Vladivostok on 30 September. WWF will bring together supporters, among whom are volunteers of the "Plant a Forest for Leopards" action who had planted a million Korean pine saplings in the Land of the Leopard national park in 2011-2012. The Korean pine forest is a key habitat of the Amur tiger. In 2010, in an effort to regulate the trade in Korean pine timber, Russia listed the species in Appendix III of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

WWF will also hold an eco-lottery where every participant stands a chance to win a small prize. It will conduct a "How to draw a tiger" master class for children.

"We are pleased that together with colleagues from other organizations, we are able to bring Tiger Day celebration to libraries and schools in the town square, and most important to the people," said Ms. Fomenko.

In 2010, the Russian Government adopted the Strategy for Tiger Conservation, making commitments to double the number of wild tigers by 2022. However efforts to increase the wild Amur tiger population have to be supported by the people.

"Tiger Day is a good way to remind people in our country to express their love for the Tiger and spare a thought for nature," added Ms. Fomenko.

Tigers and other endangered wildlife species get better protection in Russia

2012-09-25

Vladivostok, Russia – Tigers and other endangered species of rare flora and fauna will receive more protection in Russia when a new decree comes into force at the end of this month.

The decree, signed by Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on 13 September, provides better protection for the country's rare flora and fauna by imposing stiffer penalties on those caught smuggling them. For example, at present, those convicted and found guilty of smuggling large amounts of tiger products, such as skin and bones, faced a maximum fine of 30,000 rubles (about USD10,000). With the new decree, they can be imprisoned for a period between 3 to 7 years and fined up to 1 million rubles (about USD 33,000) . In severe cases, the punishment could be as much as 5-10 or 7-12 years of imprisonment.

The decree, which comes into force on 29 September, would apply to all flora and fauna species listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) Appendices I and II, and the Russian Red Data Book. These species include the Amur tiger, Far Eastern leopard, and wild ginseng.

"This is a serious step in the right direction towards conserving rare flora and fauna," said Mr. Sergei Aramilev, WWF Russia Amur branch's biodiversity conservation programme coordinator. "Customs inspectors and nature conservation organizations have been waiting patiently for the decree to be signed."

In 2010, the Russian Government adopted the Strategy for Tiger Conservation, making commitments to double the number of wild tigers by 2022 and to stiffen punishment for those caught smuggling tiger products. However, it had not taken any strong action to address the illegal tiger trade issue, until now with the signing of the decree.

"While effective, the decree does have some limitation as it defines a criminal offence for smuggling rare and endangered species according to the estimated value of the shipment," said Mr. Aramilev. "WWF looks forward to the further strengthening of the decree so that it can provide full protection to Russia's endangered species."

Head of WWF Russia Amur branch honoured

2012-09-13

The IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas has given Dr. Yury Darman, head of WWF-Russia Amur branch, the Fred Packard Award 2012 for his enormous contribution to protected area management in Russia Far East, as well as conservation of several threatened species, including the Amur tiger.

The international Fred Packard Award is presented to individuals for outstanding services and commitment to the enhancement of protected areas. It is named after Fred Packard, who served as Secretary to the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas in the early 1970s, and had bequeathed an endowment to establish an award in recognition of "valor".

Dr. Darman has devoted 35 years of his life struggling for the creation of a network of protected areas in Russia Far East. His inspirational leadership has led to the inclusion of more than four million hectares in new protected areas. Many of these protected areas are the habitat of the endangered Amur tiger and Amur leopard. Therefore, in many respect, it is thanks to Dr. Darman's efforts that many endangered species in the Russian Far East, including the Amur Tiger, are also protected. In all, 61 new protected areas were created within the Amur river basin under Dr. Darman's leadership at WWF Russia's Amur branch. One of Dr. Darman's best achievements is perhaps the creation of the Land of the Leopard National Park.

"It was Yury Darman's idea to get the Land of Leopard National Park created when many of us were doubtful this was possible," said Eugeny Shvarts, WWF Russia's Director of Conservation Policy.

Twelve years of grueling hard work and perseverance paid off when the park was finally established in April this year. Under Dr Darman's leadership, both ecologists and volunteers had fought against the unlawful forest cutting in the area. The park covers an area of more than 260,000 hectares and has the capacity to ensure the survival of at least 50 Amur leopards as well as 10 Amur tigers, that are key to the neighbouring Changbaishan tiger population in northeast China. Recent camera trap photos taken of an Amur tiger in Changbaishan proved the extend of the tiger's range stretches into this inner mountainous area, which is part of the Amur-Heilong Tiger Landscape located on the China-Russia border.

"We are very happy that Yury has won this prestigious award," said Mr. Shvarts.

Dr. Darman is only the third Russian to receive the award. Previous award winners from Russia were Vasily Krinitsky, head of the nature protected area management department of Glavpriroda (the former Soviet Union's main administration for zapovedniks or network of Russian nature reserves) in 1992, and Vsevolod Stepanitsky, who now heads the system of protected areas in Russia's Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology, in 2004.

The other Fred Packard Award winners this year are Ibrahim Bello from Niger, and Julia Miranda Londono and Antonio Negrete from Columbia. They received their awards at the IUCN World Conservation Congress held this month in Jeju, Korea.

WWF launches fight against wildlife crime

2012-08-28

In response to record poaching rates, WWF today is launching a global campaign calling governments to combat illegal wildlife trade and reduce demand for illicit endangered species products. Demand for ivory, rhino horn and tiger parts from consumer markets in Asia is driving wild populations dangerously close to extinction.

"Governments are largely ignoring the crisis affecting our endangered species. Throughout our global campaign, countries will hear directly from their constituents that the people expect better from them. The time to act is now while we can still save rhinos, tigers and elephants," said Lasse Gustavsson, Executive Director of Conservation for WWF International.

WWF will engage its constituents in online activities to educate, empower and activate them on behalf of the campaign. Supporters will have the opportunity to join the conversation, provide their campaign ideas, and undertake direct advocacy with world leaders.

Already this year, 339 rhinos have been killed by poachers in South Africa in order to supply consumer markets in Asia, particularly in Viet Nam, where the animal's horn is touted as a hangover tonic and cure for terminal illness. Rhino poaching has increased over 3,000 per cent in the past five years.

Last year witnessed the highest recorded rates of elephant poaching in Africa. Tens of thousands of elephants are believed to be killed each year for their ivory tusks, the most in Central Africa. China and Thailand have been identified as the biggest consumer countries for illegally-trafficked ivory.

In the last 100 years, the world has lost 97 per cent of its wild tigers, including four sub-species to extinction. There may be as few as 3,200 of the endangered animals remaining. Illegal killing for trade is the biggest factor in their decline. The skins of eight tigers were seized in Russia Saturday, including four from cubs estimated to be less than two months old.

Illegal wildlife trade is one of the most lucrative international organized crimes, yet is not treated seriously by many governments. "The criminal syndicates involved in illegal wildlife trade have also been implicated in murder, drug trafficking, arms proliferation, and even terrorism," Gustavsson said. "This campaign is more than just saving species from extinction, it is about promoting the rule of law, protecting rangers and bringing end to an illegal trade that has countless times proven to destabilize national security."

WWF and partner TRAFFIC will mobilize millions of supporters to take action to help kill the trade that kills. Join us on the frontline in the battle against illegal wildlife trade at facebook.com/WWF and at panda.org/killthetrade.

Tiger conservation gains threatened by proposed dam

2012-08-28

Bangkok, Thailand – The controversial Mae Wong dam in western Thailand represents a significant new threat to the country's wild tiger population, and jeopardises the continued success of conservation efforts in Mae Wong National Park, warns WWF.

As opposition to the dam project builds, the Thai Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) and WWF today released rare video footage of a tigress and her two cubs in Mae Wong National Park, close to the proposed dam construction site.

The 20-second footage, retrieved from camera traps in May, offers hope for the survival of the species and evidence of the success of joint efforts by the Thai government, public sector and communities to manage and restore Thailand's western forest complex, a crucial tiger habitat.

"As tigers need large amounts of food, especially when they are nursing their young, the new footage indicates that prey in the Mae Wong-Klong Lan forests is abundant enough to support tiger reproduction and recovery," said Rungnapa Phoonjampa, Manager of WWF-Thailand's Mae Wong- Klong Lan National Parks Tiger Recovery Programme. "The camera traps captured many tiger prey species including gaur, barking deer, wild pig and deer, as well as other mammals, including tapir, serow, Fea's muntjac and elephant. In all over 30 mammal species were captured on film."

Numbers of the Indochinese tiger, found in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, are in steep decline due to shrinking habitat, the illicit trade in tiger parts for traditional medicines, and depletion of tiger prey species. Fewer than 300 wild tigers are estimated to remain in Thailand.

Camera traps are part of collective efforts by the DNP and WWF-Thailand to track the tiger population in this part of the Western Forest Complex, which includes 17 protected areas covering over 19,000 km². Camera trapping in Mae Wong has so far recorded the presence of 9 tigers and 2 cubs, much higher than initially expected by WWF researchers. One of these tigers was previously caught on camera in the Huay Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary in July 2011, located 40 kilometres from Mae Wong, revealing the movement of tigers from Huay Kha Khaeng into Mae Wong.

The conservation efforts in Mae Wong and Klong Lan national parks build on commitments made at the 2010 Tiger Summit in St Petersburg, Russia. During this high-level Summit, the Thai government along with the 12 other tiger range states committed to doubling the numbers of wild tigers by 2022. They also presented the Global Tiger Recovery Programme, which aims to conserve and recover tiger populations and their prey and clamp down on poaching.

"The recent camera trap footage, along with the encouraging data we have on tiger prey species, shows the conservation work of the DNP and WWF-Thailand is on the right track," added Rungnapa. "The Mae Wong and Klong Lan forests are not only critical tiger habitat, they are also home to other threatened species. By protecting the tigers, we really can protect so much more."

However, the new THB 13 billion (US$400 million) dam project proposed for the Mae Wong river threatens the survival of Thailand's tigers and conservation work in Mae Wong national park, as well as the adjacent UNESCO World Heritage Site of Huay Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary.

The dam will destroy over 20km² of the national park, submerging an area where sambar deer, an important prey species for tigers, are found and had through successful conservation efforts recovered to a healthy population. New access roads would also risk increasing poaching pressure.

WWF and other NGOs opposing the dam project have asked the government to consider alternative measures to mitigate flood and drought problems. These measures include better water management, improved irrigation, and building smaller dams outside protected areas.

"Years of successful conservation efforts will be washed away if the dam construction goes ahead, "added Rungnapa. "The Mae Wong dam must be stopped or we risk losing our tigers and so much more that Thailand loves and reveres."

For more information, please contact:

Dr Rungnapa Phoonjampa, Manager, Mae Wong-Klong Lan National Parks Tiger Recovery Programme,
WWF Thailand, Tel. +66 86 612 1789, Email: rungnapap@wwfgreatermekong.org

Ua-phan Chamnan-ua, Communications Manager, WWF Thailand,
Tel. +66 2 619 8534-37 Ext 106, Mobile: +66 81 928 2426, Email: uchamnanua@wwfgreatermekong.org

Record haul of tiger skins in Russia Far East

2012-08-27

A record amount of tiger skins has been seized from a resident in the Russia Far East's Province of Primorsky.

A total of 8 tiger skins, along with other wildlife products including wild ginseng, 150 rifle catridges and USD150,000 in cash, were seized by local police, acting on information received, and in conjunction with WWF Russia staff.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the suspect has been engaged in buying wildlife products to sell to the Chinese market.

According to Sergei Aramilev, Species Program Coordinator at WWF Russia's Amur office, the 8 tiger skins belonged to a male tiger, two female tigers, one young tiger of unknown sex, and four tiger cubs, one of which was only 1-2 months old.

"The number of tigers killed was probably higher as no skins of nursing females were found but one of the cubs killed was still suckling," said Sergei. "It means that more female tigers were killed and sold."

The large haul of tiger skins is akin to destroying the whole tiger population of the Province's 120,000-hectare Lazovsky Nature Reserve which houses 8-11 tigers.

It is not known how long the suspect had been buying and selling tiger skins. But it is clear that the skins came from different districts of Primorye.

"This is the biggest amount of Amur tiger skins seized since Perestroika," said Pavel Fomenko, Biodiversity Conservation Program Coordinator at WWF Russia's Amur branch. "The record haul also points to the fact that demand for tiger products remains high in China and among new wealthy Russians.

WWF Russia continues to work with the Primorsky Province's enforcement agencies to stop the illegal wildlife trade in the province.