IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Cameron, A.; Banks, D.; Gosling, J. | |
| Saving the wild tiger: Enforcement, tiger trade and free market folly - an EIA discussion document | |
| 2009 Full Book | |
Having reviewed a number of recent studies on tiger farming, EIA believes that proponents of tiger farming have based their support on flawed assumptions and on studies which do not fully grasp or reflect the realities of the illegal wildlife trade. In light of these uncertainties and errors, EIA is concerned that any attempts to legalise tiger trade to allow the trade in parts from captive bred tigers will have disastrous consequences for the wild tiger. In particular, EIA has concluded: The authors of several papers on tiger farming have based their conclusions on over simplified models, and a poor understanding of tiger biology Several studies supporting tiger farming have failed to understand the fundamentals of the illegal tiger trade Captive bred tigers will not 'undercut' wild caught tigers, but will instead provide an expanding market into which to launder wild caught products. Incomplete competition in criminal trades renders simple supply and demand models inaccurate. Enforcement agencies will struggle to enforce a legalised trade, and there is no reason to expect that the tiger farmers will have the ability or incentive to help. In the event that there was a legalised trade in 'farmed', it is likely that a parallel market in 'premium' wild tiger products would emerge, as has been seen with other species Enforcement of the ban has not totally failed and has had some success, but enforcement efforts remain patchy and out-dated in many areas, with an overemphasis on border interceptions. EIA has demonstrated that intelligence-led enforcement would achieve much better results with fewer resources. Evidence that species comparable to the tiger have been helped by farming remains sparse. In light of these findings, EIA recommends: Supply side solutions to protect the tiger focus on reducing demand for tiger parts and derivatives and not on reigniting a declining trade. Economic studies are not used as the sole means for developing conservation policy. Countries with intensive captive breeding facilities comply with existing CITES Decisions and close down their tiger farms, and consolidate, declare and destroy stockpiles of tiger parts. Range states and consuming nations invest in targeted, intelligence-led enforcement to the illegal tiger trade and other forms of environmental crime. Increased efforts are made to fully recognise the value of wild tigers and the forests in which they live, taking account of the irreplaceable ecosystem services which they provide. |
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