As Tigers Near Extinction, Groups Propose Program To Save Them

A consortium of conservation groups and tiger scientists has put forth a detailed plan, costing $82 million annually, to save the world’s tigers, which now number fewer than 3,500 animals and occupy just six percent of their original range. Writing in the journal PLoS Biology, the organizations and scholars said there is a good chance of protecting the world’s remaining tigers ”“ which include just 1,000 breeding females ”“ by stepping up enforcement and monitoring at 42 “source sites” across Asia where tiger populations still exist or can easily be reintroduced. The most important nations with remaining tiger populations are India, with 18 sites where the species can be protected; Sumatra, with 8 sites; and the Russian Far East, where the Siberian tiger still exists in six main population clusters. The groups, led by such organizations as the Wildlife Conservation Society and Panthera, said the cost of saving tigers in the wild is relatively modest — $82 million annually, of which $47 million has already been committed by states and donors. The money would be used for law enforcement, monitoring, and community programs to save tigers. Alan Rabinowitz, CEO of Panthera, said, “We know how to save tigers. We have the knowledge and tools to get the job done. What we are lacking is political will and financial support.”