Save the Tigers

September 28, 2007

Originally Published by Bangkok Post

Ranger Loong Cherd remembers a time when tigers were the lords of Thailand's Khao Yai National Park. ''Back when I started, tigers were everywhere. I could not count how many times I ran into them,'' says Loong, who has patrolled the park for almost 50 years. Now 66, he is one of Khao Yai's longest serving rangers and has witnessed a dramatic decline in the park's tiger population.

''Things have changed,'' he says. ''There are more people living around the park. There are more visitors to the park. There's less forest area for tigers and they seem to be disappearing. Now it's unusual to encounter a tiger.''

Even with Loong's experience, he believes it would take at least three or four days of trekking into thick forest to sight a tiger.

''Tigers need space,'' says Loong. ''I think we have less space for animals. That's why we don't see them much any more.''

It's a theory echoed by Kanda Damrongchainarong, Carnivore Project field coordinator for the PeunPa Foundation, a Thai wildlife conservation group. Kanda is deeply concerned about the impact of human disturbance and poaching on tigers in Thailand.

''Tigers are very reclusive. When people are present, tigers pick up their scent and retreat further into the forest,'' Kanda explains.

Throughout Thailand and Southeast Asia, tigers are finding it more and more difficult to find a part of the forest they can call their own. Even in park areas, where their habitat is protected, they are not entirely safe. Poaching is still a major threat, driven by high demand for tiger bones, organs and skins.

Tigers are just a whisker away from extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Species Survival Commission's 2007 Red List of Threatened Species assesses tigers as ''endangered to critically endangered''.

It is estimated that 95 per cent of the world's tiger population has vanished over the past century.

According to Kanda, the disappearance of tigers creates an imbalance in the forest. ''Tigers are an indicator species. Their presence in the forest demonstrates a healthy ecosystem and is important in maintaining biological balance,'' she says. ''The decline in tiger numbers is a serious environmental concern.''

Kanda, park rangers and others are working hard to monitor and protect Thailand's tigers and ecosystems, although their efforts are often hindered by a lack of equipment and limited training opportunities. The work of these under-resourced but dedicated conservationists is rarely in the spotlight.

International Tiger Day is a great opportunity to learn more about tigers, the threats to their survival and efforts to protect them. Every year, people from around the world show their support for Asia's most famous big cat on this day. Thai wildlife organisation PeunPa is encouraging everyone to get their stripes on tomorrow.

Increased awareness of the plight facing tigers is crucial to saving the species. ''Many of those involved in the illegal wildlife trade, including consumers, are unaware of the terrible impact their actions are having on Southeast Asia's biodiversity,'' says Mook Wongchyakul, a communications officer for PeunPa.

The loss of tigers and their habitats may seem like a distant problem, especially for people living in urban areas. However, according to Steven Galster, director of field operations for the Wildlife Alliance (a partner to PeunPa), it's an issue we cannot afford to ignore.

''Some people ask, 'Why should I care about tigers when we have bigger problems to worry about?' We remind them that tigers are an 'umbrella' species. Sitting at the top of the food chain they require a healthy forest, clean water and lots of prey species. So if you protect the tiger, you're protecting the whole ecosystem on which we depend as well. Remove the tiger and you begin to unravel that ecosystem,'' warns Galster.

The Wildlife Alliance and PeunPa hope that Tiger Day will encourage everyone to think about what they can do to help protect the world's remaining tigers. Understanding the causes behind the drastic decline in tiger populations and spreading the word among your friends and family are two of the best ways you can help reverse this trend.

How you can help tigers survive?

Don't buy products made from tigers. It sounds simple, but not everyone gets it. Demand for tiger products funds the entire poaching, trafficking and trade cycle. Buying a tiger skin is akin to killing a tiger in the wild. There are plenty of sustainable alternatives to products made from tigers, including effective herbal and mainstream medicines instead of traditional remedies made from ground tiger bones.

Spread the word

Spreading the word and raising awareness is an important part of efforts to protect wild tigers. Many consumers are inadvertently contributing to the problem. Make sure everyone around you knows that products made from poached tigers are not cool!

Don't keep tigers as pets

Owning a tiger as a pet is not a good way to care for the species. Holding a tiger captive as a pet deprives the animal of its natural hunting and survival skills. No matter how big your garden, it will feel like a matchbox to a fully grown tiger born to roam a wide range.

Donate to a cause that tackles the tiger trade

You can support the species further and feel connected to these magnificent big cats by taking responsibility for a tiger in the wild. Donating to wildlife protection groups will help support rangers that patrol national parks, species monitoring and care, as well as efforts to reduce illegal trafficking and trade.

Report wildlife crimes

Report anyone transporting or selling tiger skins and tiger bones to the authorities: Call 1362 for the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation; call 1136 for the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division of the Thai Police; or call 02-204-2719 for the PeunPa Foundation. English/Thai speakers are available to forward important information to the relevant authorities.

Take action now!

Donate to the PeunPa Foundation to directly help efforts to protect tigers and stop the illegal wildlife trade in Thailand and Southeast Asia. By becoming a Tiger Conservation Friend with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Save The Tiger Fund, you can voice your support for tiger conservation -- sign-up online at www.savethetigerfund.org

Participate in the Wildlife Alliance's Sponsor-an-Animal programme to support Araeng, a tiger being cared for at the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre in Cambodia (wildlifealliance.org/donate/sponsor-an-animal).

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