(AFP): More than 2,300 endangered tigers have been killed and illegally trafficked since the turn of the century, according to a report published Tuesday, urging more action to protect the giant cats.
With an average of more than 120 illegally trafficked tigers seized each year — which amounts to over two each week — since year 2000, conservation group Traffic warned there was little sign of respite for the species.
Report author Kanitha Krishnasamy, who heads Traffic’s Southeast Asia operations, said the numbers were deeply concerning.
“It looks like we are losing this fight,” she told AFP.
In 1900, more than 100,000 tigers were estimated to roam the planet. But that fell to a record low of 3,200 globally in 2010.
Since then, population numbers have inched upwards, but there are still estimated to be fewer than 3,900 tigers left in the wild.
“This pernicious trafficking, evidenced by the continuously high number of whole skins, whole animals — both dead and alive — and bones is testament to the ongoing demand for Tiger parts,” Krishnasamy said.
“The time for talking is over: words must be turned into action to prevent further Tiger loss,” she said in a statement.
Traffic, which campaigns to protect endangered animals and help governments catch those who trade in their parts, published a new analysis looking at 19-years of tiger seizure data from across the globe.
It found that an estimated total equivalent to 2,359 individual tigers were seized from 2000 to 2018 across 32 countries and territories.
Skins are the single most frequently seized tiger part, with on average 58 whole tiger skins seized each year, the report found, also noting a clear increase in seizures of whole animals, both dead and alive.
More than 2,300 endangered tigers have been killed and illegally trafficked since the turn of the century, according to a report, urging more action to protect the giant cats. https://t.co/qUMDOuwbXJ
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 21, 2019
