Protecting Tigers

DSWF continues to fight the illegal wildlife trade of tigers. With our long term support our investigative partners, Asian Big Cat Campaign, has been able to continue collaborations in southeast Asia to investigate, document, analyse, and report on trafficking networks, which will lead to the disruption of the trade in tigers and further apprehension of major wildlife traffickers. There are no longer any wild tigers remaining in the country of Laos, however, it remains one of the main countries involved in illegal tiger trafficking. Information our partners researched and gathered was recently used by the Financial Action Task Force to highlight the role of criminal enterprises in tiger and other wildlife farming and trade in Laos. Failure of the country to now conduct investigations into tiger farming puts Laos at risk of global financial sanctions. Furthermore, long-term advocacy to end consumption and phase out tiger farms is now being reflected in the KPIs of the Global Tiger Recovery Programme. Key organisations are now leading the development of a roadmap for phasing out tiger farms, which will be presented at the upcoming CITIES committee (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).

The two latest additions to the K9 unit team, Nova and Harley, are now fully trained and certified K9 Units deployed in the field to bolster ranger units and help track poachers and gather evidence of wildlife crimes. Ranger teams have covered 2,000km² in patrols across both rhino and tiger bearing areas. 18 suspects were arrested across Assam for wildlife crimes and 11 weapons (including ammunition) were confiscated to prevent further harm to wildlife.

In addition, our field partner’s ‘Rhino’ and ‘Tiger Goes to School’ programmes have continued to generate awareness about tigers among school students and initiate conservation interest. The children targeted belong to the fringe villages of rhino and tiger bearing areas of Assam and are taught basic information about rhino and tiger habitat, behaviour, population distribution, and conservation challenges. Through fostering a passion for wildlife at a young age, we can help inspire a new generation of wildlife protectors.

In Thailand, park protection and law enforcement monitoring work has been an area of focus over the last six-month reporting period, as well as enhanced ranger training to ensure protection of over 30 Indochinese tigers and other wildlife – including pangolins at risk of poaching inside eastern Thailand’s Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest complex. The rangers patrolled a total of 34,723km in the period, resulting in the detainment of 68 poachers and confiscation of 21 weapons. The population remains stable with a litter of tiger cubs born within the protected area at the end of 2022 continuing to grow quickly. Reports show they are looking healthy, and the cubs will soon be ready to venture out and establish their own territories.

However, a worrying report from our partners in Thailand is the decrease in available and healthy prey for tigers at present, due to the impact of African Swine Fever (ASF) on their main prey – wild boar. Alternative prey, such as sambar deer, are also in lower than optimal abundance, so tigers are reliant on the wild boar – but their decrease in number means tigers have switched to take even smaller prey, which they need to catch more of to remain satiated. In short, the decline of wild boar is having a cascade effect, impacting tigers as a keystone species and therefore all ungulates in the region. Our team will continue to monitor the situation and where possible, help reduce its impact on wild tiger populations.

Thank you for your continued support in protecting tigers. Thanks to you we can ensure they have a brighter future.

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We recently celebrated World Tiger Day on 29th July, where we celebrate one of the world’s most iconic, revered, and best loved animals. However, as we celebrate this majestic animal, it is important to highlight that tiger numbers have declined by a shocking 96% in just the last 100 years. The illegal trade in tigers and tiger parts, made worse by captive breeding facilities across Asia and South Africa, alongside threats from habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict, has pushed them to the brink of extinction. 

Tragically, there are now more tigers in captivity than in the wild. Captive figures outnumber wild tigers 2:1, with an estimated 7,000-8,000 tigers in breeding centres across Asia. Many of the Asian tiger breeding centres are involved in the illegal trade of tigers and tiger products, and exist solely to profit from tiger parts. Captive breeding facilities muddy the waters of the trade, not only giving legitimacy to the demand for tiger products but also providing a route to market for illegally sourced tigers and tiger parts.

Read more on the dark side of the illegal tiger trade here: https://davidshepherd.org/news-events-insights/news/tigers-a-future-thats-anything-but-bright/

DSWF actively campaigns for and works to support a total ban on the international trade in tiger parts and derivatives, as well as the closure of all tiger breeding farms. We’re helping drive effective, impactful reductions in illegal wildlife trade, through legislation and lobbying across governments and funding investigations into criminal syndicates. We work with communities to foster peaceful coexistence with wild tigers and run public awareness campaigns to reduce demand for wild animals in Traditional Chinese Medicine and as luxury, high value products. In addition, we support the deployment of anti-poaching rangers in the field, including the use of specialist K9 sniffer dogs. This holistic approach to conservation helps fight wildlife crime and illegal trade from all angles.

Using K9 units for conservation has proven to be an effective method in apprehending poachers and acting as a deterrent. Our partners in India manage several K9 Units who accompany rangers on patrols. These trained and certified tracking dogs assist in locating suspects as well as gathering evidence from poaching areas. Two junior canine members, who joined the team as puppies last year, named Nova and Harley, have shown tremendous development over the past few months. Their tracking skills are greatly improving with continuous training from the senior handlers. They have now mastered basic sniffing and tracking exercises, and have since been completing training in evidence collection, tracking a crime site, and advanced detection. Nova has now been fully deployed into the field with handler Dhrubajyoti, and Harley will be following her very soon!

Education is a pivotal tool of conservation. By supporting educational work, we can raise a new generation concerned about nature and prepared to engage with their communities on issues like poaching, the illegal wildlife trade, unauthorised logging, and forest fires in tiger habitat. Education programmes are also a further benefit to local communities, as they promote learning amongst young people and teach new skills to adults. From Tiger Day Festivals and art contests, to talks and workshops, we can foster community spirit and bring communities together for a united cause – to protect the tiger. Educational activities will indirectly contribute to conservation of tigers and their habitat by fostering positive attitude towards endangered wildlife and conservation, increasing people’s environmental awareness, raising young people to protect and treasure the planet’s wildlife, and motivating people to implement conservation actions.

With your ongoing support we can continue to fight for a brighter future for tigers.