The Greater Mekong River drainage covering five South Asian countries--Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam--contains fewer tigers than ever. In the last year of the Tiger, 1998, the regional tiger population was estimated at 1200. It is now down to about 350. Asian ministers from countries in the tiger's range recently met in Thailand to discuss what can be done to save the wild tiger. If decisive action is not taken,
Panthera tigris will be extinct in the Mekong region by 2022 according to WWF. Sufficient forested habitat about the size of France still exists to support a healthy tiger population, but the demand for tiger parts used in Chinese folk medicine and unsustainable regional development is driving the decline. There are no more than 30 tigers each in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. The remaining Asian tigers are found in the mountainous boarder between Thailand and Myanmar. In fact there are more tigers in captivity in China (estimated at 5,000) than are still living in the wild. These majestic cats are doomed to a life of suffering in inhumane conditions while destined to be chopped into parts [photo] for the bizarre potions trade. The ministerial meeting is part of a worldwide process to galvanize political support to save the tiger in the wild. These efforts will culminate in a "Tiger Summit" in Vladivostok hosted by
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin this September.
[photo: savethetigerfund.org]
