October 30, 2009 (with an October 31 update-- letter from Marcus Cotton)
Yesterday, Akanshya
Shah filed a report with Republica that sheds light on China’s continuing
unwillingness to give up its apparent addiction to supporting the human
consumption and profiteering of tiger parts. (According to EcoWorldly.com,
China supplies animal “medicine” to 60 countries worldwide.) I’ve posted Ms.
Shahs’ article in full. At the end, I’ve included a four-minute youtube video
on China’s ongoing harvesting of tiger. Everyone interested in the preservation
of tigers, should watch the video and see why the Chinese are the underlying
problem.
KATHMANDU, Oct 29:
Restating its stance in favor of tiger farming, the Chinese delegation at the
ongoing Kathmandu Global Tiger Workshop said Wednesday that China cannot put an
end to its tiger farming as medicine produced from tiger parts is supplied to
60 countries.
Professor Xiong of
Beijing University in his presentation at the interaction said that although
China recognizes the need to stop habitat loss, it will be extremely difficult
for the country to put a ban on tiger breeding and farming, a participant of
the program told myrepublica.com on condition of anonymity.
The source said
that China´s anti-ban stance was criticized by other participants. Stephen
Board, Executive Director of Traffic International, is said to have pointed to
the need of “attitudinal change” by countries involved in tiger farming.
Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Russia, among others, are also said to be
engaging is breeding practices, besides China.
The media was
prohibited from attending the interaction.
Stating that the
total trade in animal parts has now crossed $10 billion in Asia alone, which is
second only to the illegal trade in arms, the Global Tiger Workshop has pointed
out the urgent need for governments to design proactive national policies aimed
at nipping poaching in the bud.
In addition,
participants have strongly urged decision makers to change the paradigm of the
management model and equip the concerned departments with new and modern
technology to fight poachers. Similarly, they have stressed capacity-building
of staff and strengthening the intelligence unit to identify poaching sites.
Moreover, they have urged states to formulate a clear system and revive the
existing mechanism between and among countries to stop trafficking in animal
parts.
Save the Tiger
Fund, the US-based Rhino and Tiger Conservation Fund and Panthera Foundation
have jointly pledged 3-4 million US dollars to identify top priorities and
support government efforts to fight illegal trade in tiger parts.
The workshop on
Wednesday deliberated on topics ranging from steps to be taken to integrate
nature conservation into development priorities and arresting habitat
deterioration caused by infrastructure development and land use to engaging
communities to protect tiger landscapes and helping people come out of the
poverty trap, which, they said, requires “game changing actions” in order to reverse
the current trajectory of extinction.
The participants
also discussed strengthening wildlife enforcement and governance, improving
landscape management and capacity development, suppressing demand for wild
tiger parts, enhancing demand for live wild tiger, estimating conservation
resource needs and developing innovative financing mechanisms.
India urged to hold
anti-poaching talks
In a bid to seek
renewed commitment in controlling illegal trafficking in animal parts and
poaching activities from its southern neighbor, the Nepal government has asked
the Indian side to hold the much-delayed secretary-level meeting on transborder
cooperation as soon as possible. India has delayed the talks for three years.
“India has lagged
behind in the regional effort to strengthen transborder cooperation to control
poaching,” a Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation official said, adding,
“We have strongly urged the Indian side to hold the talks without further
delay.”
Asked to comment,
spokesperson at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation
Shiva Raj Bhatta said, “The Indian delegation at the tiger workshop has
reassured us that the talks will be initiated soon in Delhi.”
Secretary-level
talks, which are supposed to design bilateral mechanisms for border management,
regulation and control against poaching activities, especially illegal trade in
tiger parts, have been held twice in Kathmandu in 2001 and 2006 and once in
Delhi in 2003.
youtube video on Chinese tiger farms click here
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October 31, 2009
Below is an interesting letter of response to this post from Marcus Cotton, Chief Executive of Tiger Mountain Nepal
Dear Mikel,
We met recently. I was also at the
Tiger Workshop – it was great for Nepal to have gathered so many experts and to
see how the World Bank really does seem to have undergone an attitudinal change
and is now firmly supporting conservation on solid economic grounds. Better
late than never.... The Minister of Forests was ever present, meeting everyone,
eating with everyone, and always encouraging, supporting, and driving the
process forward – impressive indeed.
I would have liked a little more emphasis
on the role of thoughtfully and sensitively managed tourism as a positive force
for conservation. Tiger Tops has clearly proved the formula can work, combining
responsible conservation tourism, charitable support, local communities and the
government agencies in an effective partnership. This, to me, is key for the
effective conservation of tigers across their range – wide stakeholder
partnerships. It will not work if business is told “give us your CSR money and
go away.” For a partnership to be effective, it must be open, candid, and have
full two-way communication. We must all appreciate and understand the
motivations and constraints of our partners.
Knocking China for its slower
approach is not really the way ahead. The leader of the Chinese delegation to
the workshop has achieved significant forward moves in China on conservation –
including opening up towards CITES, regional cooperation in enforcement and
conservation management. Yes, tiger farms are a vile monstrosity, but steady
rational pressure, I believe, will win the day to close them down.
Yours sincerely,
Marcus Cotton
Chief Executive
Tiger Mountain Nepal
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