CoP17: The world is finally getting serious about tiger farms

China came under pressure today for allowing the intensive breeding and sale of tiger parts, in violation of an international decision. The country has an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 tigers on “farms,” facilities that breed the animals for tourist entertainment while they’re alive, and for the luxury and medicinal markets after they’re slaughtered.

The issue was raised at the most important conservation event you’ve never heard of going on this week and next in Johannesburg, South Africa: the 17th conference of parties of Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the treaty that regulates the international wildlife trade. One of the highlights of this gathering of 182 countries is how to crack down on the trade of Asian big cats, including tigers, clouded leopards, and snow leopards.

Tiger farms, which also exist in Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos, have long been suspected of feeding the international black market for illegal wildlife products. Last Friday, the first day of the conference, conservationists praised Laos for its announcement that it was “looking for ways to phase out tiger farms.”

--------------------------------------------------------------
* Get the key facts and figures of the captive tiger issue at eia-international.org/report/ending-trade-in-tiger-parts-and-products
--------------------------------------------------------------

The facilities breed tigers at an intensive rate, and the animals are believed to be slaughtered so their parts can sold to be made into wine, pseudo medicine, luxury home decor, and more. Tiger farms are also suspected to fuel the poaching of wild tigers, which still face serious threats of their own.

“Trade in parts and derivatives of captive-bred tigers perpetuates the desirability of tiger products, in turn stimulating poaching of wild tigers,” says Debbie Banks, of the Environmental Investigation Agency, a London-based NGO.

... The new proposal approved today requires all countries with captive Asian big cats to report to the CITES Secretariat, the treaty’s governing body, on how they are ensuring that big cats and their parts don’t enter the illegal trade. The Secretariat will use those reports to decide if certain facilities should be inspected. After that, the Secretariat will file a report, which could lead to certain countries being required to take specific steps to bring problem facilities in line.

Read in full at news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/09/wildlife-watch-tiger-farms-cites-protections/

#tigers #tigerfarms #China #Thailand #Vietnam #Laos #CoP17 CITES

Image: Live tigers at the Kings Romans complex, Laos (c) EIA ... See MoreSee Less

42 minutes ago  ·  

Photo

CITES CoP17: A good day for rosewoods as species get more protection!

Today (September 29) has proved to be a major day for forests as 183 countries at the CITES 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP17) agreed to boost protection for dalbergia rosewoods.

The Committee session introduced three separate Dalbergia proposals, all met with overwhelming support by the Parties which demonstrated a greater awareness of the threats posed by illegal logging and trade on the conservation status of this species in response to surging demand from China’s Hongmu furniture market.

Today, Thailand successfully presented its case to amend the trade annotation on the CITES listing for Siamese rosewood (Dalbergia cochinchinensis), endemic to Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

EIA has followed the legal/illegal trade in Siamese rosewood since the last CoP in 2013, and contributed an overview of our investigations. We concluded that trade has been far from restricted, that all parts and derivatives including roots continued to be traded in circumvention of the annotation and that illegal products passed through customs and other border agencies as semi-finished wood products.

For the past three years, EIA has maintained that an amendment to the annotation is not only justified to close the loophole but critical to prevent the commercial extinction of this species. We are extremely pleased to see adoption of the amendment.

Read this EIA News Update in full at eia-international.org/good-day-for-rosewoods-as-species-get-more-protection

#CoP17 #rosewood #China #Thailand #Cambodia #Laos #Hongmu

Image (c) EIA ... See MoreSee Less

19 hours ago  ·  

Photo

At CITES CoP17, China proposes deletion of decision to end tiger farming. Denied! No other Party supports. India, Nepal, EU, USA stand firm and Laos announces intention to work with technical experts to close it's tiger farms. ... See MoreSee Less

19 hours ago  ·  

Photo