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A reprieve for Wild Tigers at CITES

8 August 2007 / CITES

Tigers were granted a welcome reprieve when governments agreed to maintain the prohibition on captive breeding of tigers for their parts and derivatives. Experts believe that any legal market in tiger parts, even from captive tigers, could lead to tigers becoming extinct in the wild.

The decision was made by parties to CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) which took place in The Hague, Netherlands, from 3-15 June 2007.

"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 organisations 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."

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.

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.

* Operation Charm partners the the Active Conservation Awareness Programme (ACAP), International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) and WWF are all members of the International Tiger Coalition.