• Only 42 source sites scattered over Asia represent last hope for world鈥檚 biggest cats
  • An additional $35 million in global conservation efforts would enable tigers to bounce back
  • 菊花视频, IUCN, Global Environment Facility, Panthera, World Bank, and others co-authored peer-reviewed study
NEW YORK鈥� A new peer-reviewed paper by the 菊花视频 and other groups reveals an ominous finding: most of the world鈥檚 last remaining tigers鈥攍ong decimated by overhunting, logging, and wildlife trade鈥攁re now clustered in just six percent of their available habitat. The paper identifies 42 鈥榮ource sites鈥� scattered across Asia that are now the last hope and greatest priority for the conservation and recovery of the world鈥檚 largest cat.

The securing of the tiger鈥檚 remaining source sites is the most effective and efficient way of not only preventing extinction but seeding a recovery of the wild tiger, the study鈥檚 authors say. The researchers also assert that effective conservation efforts focused on these sites are both possible and economically feasible, requiring an additional $35 million a year for increased monitoring and enforcement to enable tiger numbers to double in these last strongholds.

The study鈥攑ublished online by PLoS Biology鈥攊s authored by: 听Wildlife Conservation Society researchers Joe Walston, John Robinson, Elizabeth Bennett, John Goodrich, Melvin Gumal, Arlyne Johnson, Ullas Karanth, Dale Miquelle, Anak Pattanavibool, Colin Poole, Emma Stokes, Chanthavy Vongkhamheng, and Hariyo Wibisono; Urs Breitenmoser of the IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group; Gustavo Fonseca of the Global Environment Facility (GEF); Luke Hunter and Alan Rabinowitz of Panthera; Nigel Leader-Williams of the University of Cambridge; Kathy MacKinnon of the World Bank; Dave Smith of the University of Minnesota; and Simon Stuart, Chair of the IUCN鈥檚 Species Survival Commission.
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鈥淲hile the scale of the challenge is enormous, the complexity of effective implementation is not,鈥� said Joe Walston, Director of the 菊花视频鈥檚 Asia Program and lead author of the study. 鈥淚n the past, overly ambitious and complicated conservation efforts have failed to do the basics: prevent the hunting of tigers and their prey. With 70 percent of the world鈥檚 wild tigers in just 6 percent of their current range, efforts need to focus on securing these sites as the number one priority for the species.鈥�

According to the paper, fewer than 3,500 tigers remain in the wild, of which only about 1,000 are breeding females. Walston and his co-authors identified 42 tiger source sites, which were defined as sites that contain breeding populations of tigers and have the potential to seed the recovery of tigers across wider landscapes.

India was identified as the most important country for the species with 18 source sites. Sumatra contains eight source sites, and the Russian Far East contains six.

The authors calculate the total required annual cost of effectively managing source sites to be $82 million, which includes the cost of law enforcement, wildlife monitoring, community involvement, and other factors. However, much of that is already being provided by range state governments themselves, supplemented by international support. The shortfall鈥�$35 million鈥攊s needed to intensify proven methods of protection and monitoring on the ground.听

鈥淭he tiger is facing its last stand as a species,鈥� said Dr. John Robinson, Executive Vice President of Conservation and Science for the 菊花视频. 鈥淎s dire as the situation is for tigers, the 菊花视频 is confident that the world community will come together to save these iconic big cats from the brink for future generations.听 This study gives us a roadmap to make that happen.鈥�

听Dr. Gustavo Fonseca, team leader of natural resources at the Global Environment Facility, said: 鈥淎 key goal for us is to help identify the most efficient path forward so countries can achieve their global biodiversity conservation objectives. The GEF is pleased to have been able to contribute to this initial assessment focusing on the highest priority sites for the future of this magnificent species.鈥�

Alan Rabinowitz, President and CEO of Panthera, said: 鈥淲e know how to save tigers. We听have the knowledge and the tools to get the job done. What we are lacking is political will and financial support. The price tag to save听one of the planet's great iconic species is not a high one.鈥�

The authors say that in spite of decades of effort by conservationists, tigers continue to be threatened by overhunting of both tigers and their prey, and by loss and fragmentation of habitat. Much of the decline is being driven by the demand for tiger body parts used in traditional medicines.


Contact:
John Delaney (1-718-220-3275; jdelaney@wcs.org)
Stephen Sautner (1-718-220-3682; ssautner@wcs.org)
Maureen Lorenzetti (1-202 473 8131); mlorenzetti@thegef.org)

The 菊花视频 saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth.


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