New Delhi, May 16
The International Tiger Coalition, an alliance of 35 organisations representing more than 100 wildlife organisations across the globe, today urged India to take a strong position in favour of tigers and ask China to continue with its ban on tiger trade.
China is considering lifting the ban, it placed on the tiger trade products in 1993.
A Chinese delegation is currently in India, lobbying for the Indian government’s support for its proposed plan to legalise the trade in tiger parts in order to facilitate the Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) industry. As per WWF scientific advisor A.J.T Johnsingh, China was also trying to gather support from other countries, including Nepal and Thailand, on the issue.
“Tiger, rhino and elephant have required constant action over the past decades because of pervasive threats to their survival, including poaching and illegal trade. There is also international pressure on India to take a strong position in the favour of tigers and not support China’s decision,” he said.
He, however, expressed disappointment over India’s till-now lackluster approach on the issue.
The coalition cautioned that if China’s ban was lifted, it would have serious consequences on the future of tigers in India.
In fact, three Indian species - tigers, rhinos and elephants - figure prominently in the WWF top 10 list of species requiring urgent attention.
The list, released today ahead of the world’s major meeting on wildlife trade in June, also included porbeagle, spiny dogfish, sawfish, red and pink coral, great apes and big leaf mahogany as the most endangered species across the world.
Delegates from 171 countries are expected to attend the Conference of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) from June 3 to 15 in Hague.
WPSI executive-director Belinda Wright said for China, lifting of ban makes economic sense, as there are several tiger farms in China that collectively house 5,000 tigers. “Pressure to lift the ban is coming from the investors in these farms, who stand to make enormous profits if the ban is lifted,” she added.
The tiger trade is banned internationally and domestically in many countries, including China. However, China is the largest market for tiger-end products. Rough estimates peg the potential scope of tiger trade at more than $500 million in China alone.
To raise a tiger in the farm costs $1500 per year, while to poach one costs just a one-time investment of $500. This is what conservationists are worried about.