croughing tiger hidden extinction

[Guest guest]

Sumatran Tigers May Face Extinction

 

Indonesia's Sumatran tiger may well have the dubious distinction of

being the first large predator to go extinct this century, unless

rampant poaching and illegal trade are sharply curtailed. This is

the grim conclusion of a report released this week by TRAFFIC, a

network established by the World Wildlife Fund and the World

Conservation Union to monitor illegal wildlife trade. Of the world's

eight tiger subspecies, three have gone extinct in the past 70 years;

the remaining five are all endangered. Experts estimate that 500

Sumatran tigers remain alive in the wild. Tigers are caught and

killed using rudimentary wire snares, often deep within national

parks, and sold for their skins and body parts in an illegal trade

industry that spans much of Asia. The report concludes by taking

Indonesian officials to task: "Numerous sources indicate that a lack

of political will at best, and widespread corruption at worst,

hinders enforcement of trade and hunting bans."

 

straight to the source: MSNBC.com, 17 Mar 2004

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