Tiger trade

The illegal trade in endangered species is one of the largest areas of criminal activity in the world today. Interpol estimates that the value of the trade is in excess of $US 6 billion every year. The profits that can be made from wildlife trafficking are similar to those that can be made from drugs, and there is evidence from sources all over the world that many of those involved in the illegal wildlife trade are also involved in smuggling drugs and other high value contraband.

The lower priority which enforcement agencies generally give to the wildlife trade, and the less sever penalties, probably make the endangered species trade very attractive to criminal gangs.

Illegal trade in tiger products poses one of the principal threats to the survival of wild tigers. The trade in wildlife is controlled by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). CITES was instigated in 1973 in response the recognition by many countries that the trade in endangered species needed to be controlled in order to prevent over-exploitation and possible extinction.

CITES has been signed by over 160 countries who have agreed to implement controls on the endangered species trade and to enforce these in law. Tigers are included in Appendix 1 of CITES which means that all commercial trade in them, or anything made from them, is banned. Import and export is also banned.

Increased demand for tiger products during the 2010 Year of the Tiger is a major concern of those working to protect tigers in their natural habitat from poaching. 

Most wild tigers inhabit poor countries where the money which can be made from poaching provides a powerful incentive to kill tigers. Many of the tigers killed by poachers enter organised smuggling routes to other countries where the demand for their body parts exists. Significant seizures of tiger parts continue to be made by enforcement agencies in many countries and these give and indication of the scale of the illegal trade.

The decision by CITES in March 2010 not to change the wording relating to the farming of tigers, is seen as a clear message from CITES that farming does not help to conserve wild tigers and may increase demand for the 'wild variety'. Implimentation of these decisions needs to be a major focus of goverments around the globe.

Download the updated International Tiger Coalition's Facts about tiger trade and farming pdf.

View another interesting article online at Wiley InterScience: 
Kirkpatrick et Emerton. Killing Tigers to Save Them: Fallacies of the Farming Argument. Conservation Biology (2010) pp. 1-5 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2010.01468.x