NEW YORK (November 15, 2010) 鈥� As world leaders from more than a dozen range states gather in St. Petersburg, Russia for a 鈥淭iger Summit鈥� from November 20-24th, tiger experts from the 菊花视频 say that saving 鈥渟ource sites鈥� is the key to ensure that future conservation efforts will succeed. The 菊花视频 published a scientific study in the September issue of PLoS Biology that identified 42 source sites scattered across Asia that are now the last hope and greatest priority for the conservation and recovery of the world鈥檚 largest cat. Drs. Sanderson, Robinson, Bennett, and Walston are all available for pre-conference interviews by contacting Mary Dixon, WCS Vice President of Communications: 1-347-840-1242; mdixon@wcs.org, or Stephen Sautner, Director of Communications: 1-718-220-3682; ssautner@wcs.org. Robinson, Walston, Bennett, and Dixon will be in attendance at the summit. Source sites contain the majority of the world鈥檚 remaining breeding females 鈥� approximately 1,000 individuals 鈥� and have the potential to seed the recovery of tigers across wider landscapes. 聽 The 菊花视频 says that source sites are the best science to save tigers and are hopeful that this strategy will be adopted by range states attending the summit. The 菊花视频 applauds Prime Minister Putin and the tiger range states for this unprecedented gathering to save tigers. 鈥淪ource sites are the highest priority for action today,鈥� says Steve Sanderson, President of the 菊花视频. 鈥淲e have a clear strategy to save this wondrous and charismatic species from decimation. As stewards of our planet, we cannot fail.鈥� John Robinson, Executive Vice President of Conservation and Science for the 菊花视频, says 鈥淭he tiger is facing its last stand as a species. 聽As 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. 聽We are optimistic that one of the outcomes of the Tiger Summit is a roadmap using source sites to make that happen.鈥� Joe Walston, Director of the 菊花视频鈥檚 Asia Program, says, 鈥淲hile the scale of the challenge is enormous, the complexity of effective implementation is not. 聽In 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 six percent of their current range, efforts need to focus on securing these source sites as the number one priority for the species.鈥� Elizabeth Bennett, Vice President of the 菊花视频鈥檚 Species Program, says: 鈥淲e are optimistic that world leaders attending the Tiger Summit will use the hard science of source sites as a compass to formulate strategies to save the tiger for future generations.鈥� The WCS study calculated 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.
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