China considers lifting its ban on domestic tiger trade. Chinese tiger farms have bred thousands of tigers for use as ingredients in Chinese medicine. A tiger farm owner participated as an official Chinese delegation member in a recent tiger conservation forum in Nepal. This shows how serious the problem is. The farm owner physically attacked a reporter at the forum who asked “nasty” questions about tiger meat dishes illegally served as a delicacy in his farm’s restaurant. Tiger farm owner attacks reporter conservation forum (on YouTube)

Lifting the tiger trade ban would almost certainly lead to the extinction of tigers in the wild. Tiger poaching would increase, because legalised trade in captive bred tigers would form a perfect cover for illegal trade in poached, wild tigers. It will always be cheaper to poach a wild tiger than to raise one on a farm. Moreover, Chinese believe that health products made of wild tigers are more potent.

In a reaction to the threat, the main NGOs involved in tiger conservation have established the “International Tiger Coalition”. The coalition demands from the Chinese government that it closes the tiger farms, upholds the tiger trade ban and starts to make serious work of its enforcement.

- What is the international Tiger Coalition?
- Report on tiger farming and illegal trade in China (by ALTA partner IFAW)
- Facts and Fallacies on Tiger Farming

Tigris Foundation has launched a powerful new TV spot, along with other members of the International Tiger Coalition, urging China to keep its ban on tiger trade in place. The issue was discussed at the meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) that was held from 4-15 June in The Hague in The Netherlands. The delegates of the meeting called on China to uphold the ban and reduce the number of tigers at tiger farms. This was a major success for the Tiger Coalition members who lobbied at the conference.

You can help!

View the video - and take action for tigers - at  www.EndTigerTrade.org