2019 06 19 FCCT The Plight of the Tiger – Commodification of a Giant Panel Discussion

Описание: The Plight of the Tiger – Commodification of a Giant: Panel Discussion
The world’s wild tiger population has plummeted in the past century from an estimated 100,000 to fewer than 4,000 due to the illegal trade, poaching, and habitat loss. However, the number of tigers in captivity has exploded to more than 12,500 – meaning that more tigers exist in cages than in jungles.

The rise in demand for tiger parts has decimated wild tiger populations in areas where they used to roam. Tigers are being poached one by one, country by country until they are now functionally extinct in many former habitats.

The commodification of the tiger is exemplified in the emergence of tiger farms where these magnificent creatures are raised and butchered for parts in a grotesque commercial factory process to be sold for tens of thousands of dollars. Nowhere have these farms operated so openly and with such impunity as in Southeast Asia and China.

A recent trend is the emergence of tiger zoos catering to today’s selfie culture where tourists sit with heavily sedated big cats. Many experts believe these attractions are nothing more than fronts for tiger farms; they serve no conservation purpose and quietly supply tiger parts to an evidently insatiable market.

Fueled by criminal syndicates and driven by demand for status symbols and supposed miracle cures, the tiger trade is a key part of the illicit wildlife trade, which constitutes the world’s fourth largest illegal industry after human trafficking, narcotics, and counterfeiting.

The tiger’s future looks bleak. Is there any hope? What should be done? The FCCT has assembled a panel of seasoned experts to address these questions:

Tim Redford, programme director and training coordinator at Freeland Foundation.

Edwin Wiek, founder and director of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT).

Christopher Perkin, regional manager for Thailand and central Asia at UK Border Force.

Somsak Soonthornnawaphat, Thailand head of World Animal Protection (WAP) campaign.