Global Tiger Day: WWF calls for an end to poaching
Logging and poaching has pushed the Sumatran tiger population to the shockingly low number of 400 in the wild. Even after a historic summit where Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin brought together NGOs, conservationists, and leaders from 13 tiger range communities to develop a recovery plan for the species, tigers are being poached and habitat destruction continues.
That is why today, on Global Tiger Day, WWF calls for an end to poaching.
“Clearly poaching is still a major threat to the tiger that only continues to grow,” said Mike Baltzer, Head of WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative. “As Global Tiger Day festivities get underway, we call on the governments and their leaders to honor their commitments from the Summit and take strong action to clamp down on poachers.” Check out what other countries are doing to celebrate tigers and raise awareness.
This issue may seem far away from Canada, but there are steps that you can take to help today and in the future:
- Donate directly here
- Read about and participate in our Tx2 campaign
(c) naturepl.com/Edwin Gisberg/WWF
This is a pivotal time in tiger conservation. Smart and strong actions must be taken to protect these magnificent cats and their habitat. While the news often sounds dark and dismal, efforts are unceasing and there are signs of hope. On Thursday, the Indian government released the 2010 countrywide estimation of tiger numbers. The national population has actually increased by 20% since 2006. This means that there are 1,706 individual tigers – low, but increasing!
“These results show that with good protection, unyielding government commitment and robust participation from partners and civil society, poaching can be reduced and tigers can thrive,” said Baltzer. “Where those vital elements are missing, tigers continue to be killed by poachers.”
As a way to celebrate Global Tiger Day, two films about WWF’s young researcher Mila Parakkasi have been posted: “Saving Tigers: Mila’s Story” & Mila’s Story Animated. Please take some time today to reflect on the special animals that we have on this planet and our responsibility to protect them. It may seem like a daunting task, but together we can make the difference necessary to save the tigers.
