Take Action . . . While There’s Still Time
You can do something to stop tiger trade. Doing nothing is a vote for extinction of tigers in the wild. Even small actions count, especially if you tell others about them. Here are some suggestions for getting started:
Follow the Rest of the Story
You can follow this story as if unfolds, which continues to do almost daily, here at JAMillsAuthor.com, where I’ll post breaking news in the blog. You’ll also find updates on the continuing efforts of the amazing people fighting on the front lines. (Some of these updates I’ll also post on my Twitter, and Facebook accounts.) If you’d like to learn more and/or follow these people and agencies directly, here are some links:
Big Cat Rescue
Environmental Investigation Agency
FREELAND Foundation
International Fund for Animal Welfare (US Tigers)
International Fund for Animal Welfare (International)
WildAid
Say NO to Tiger Trade
- Don’t buy tiger products.
- Explain to friends, family, and acquaintances why you would never buy tiger products.
- If you see tigers or tiger products for sale internationally, notify WildLeaks, the first secure online platform to report wildlife crime around the world.
- If you see tigers or tiger products for sale in the United States, tell the US Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement or the relevant state wildlife agency. In Canada, contact Environment Canada (email: wildlife.enforcement@ec.gc.ca) or the appropriate provincial wildlife agency.
- Don’t visit tiger “parks,” tiger farms, temples that keep tigers, tiger-petting events, and the like. Most people and places engaged in legitimate efforts to preserve the wild tiger’s gene pool, or care for rescued captive tigers, are accredited to do so. For example, in the United States, zoos engaged in professionally managed conservation-breeding programs are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
- The best US tiger sanctuaries are accredited by the Global Federation of Sanctuaries. You also can recognize them by their efforts to inform the public about the needs of wild tigers and the necessity of stopping all tiger trade from all sources.
- Explain to your friends, family, and acquaintances why you would never pet tiger cubs or visit a tiger farm, tiger temple, or other places of this sort. Your story can be far more influential than any formal campaign because they know and trust you.
Vote NO on Tiger Trade
You can have a voice and a vote about what happens to tigers at international, national, and state or provincial levels.
International Trade
Nearly every country in the world is now a member of CITES, the UN treaty on international trade in endangered species. Every member country has a voice and a vote. If you would like your country to act to end tiger trade, contact the appropriate government agency. In the United States, CITES falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Interior (email: feedback@ios.doi.gov). In Canada, Environment Canada (email: enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca) handles CITES. Please encourage a strong stance against tiger farming and all trade in tiger parts and products from all sources.
If you’d like to communicate directly with China’s government, write China’s ambassador to your country. You’ll be most influential if you communicate as a friend of China. Send letters to China’s US ambassador (email: chinaemb_us@mfa.gov.cn) and to China’s Canadian ambassador (email: chinaemb_ca@mfa.gov.cn).
U.S. Tigers
Captive tigers in the United States fall mainly under the jurisdiction of the US Department of Agriculture. Tell the USDA (email: agec@usda.gov) that tracking captive tigers from birth to disposal after death is essential for public safety and to ensure US tigers don’t enter international trade and spur demand for parts and products from wild tigers. Contact elected representatives from your state or province to register support for national, state, or provincial laws prohibiting private ownership of tigers.
Start an International Conversation
If you’d like to start an international conversation about the necessity of ending tiger exploitation in China and the United States, you could do so through chinadialogue, which publishes thoughtful discussions in Chinese and English to foster understanding on “urgent environmental challenges,” including “species loss.”
The editors welcome ideas (email: ideas@chinadialogue.net), according to guidelines found on their website.
You also might reach across the world by submitting letters or story tips about tiger trade to North American news outlets with Asia editions, such as Time magazine and CNN, or China-based media with English editions, such as China Daily (email: editor@chinadailyusa.com) and CCTV.
To start an international petition for tigers and against tiger trade, consider working through Avaaz Foundation, which offers the opportunity to reach millions of people worldwide.
Support the Work of Others
If you have the financial resources, helping to fund the tiger work of the organizations listed above will ensure that your money goes a long way and yields tangible results.
