TigerTime
Protecting wild tigers
About Us The TigerTime campaign was founded by the wildlife artist and conservationist, David Shepherd CBE in spring 2011 to coincide with his 80th birthday. David has been a life-long lover of tigers and his foundation, the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) founded in 1984, has been working to protect the tiger for 30 years.
Front cover photo courtesy of Michael Vickers www.tigersintheforest.co.uk
David first started campaigning for the tiger in the 1970s when he raised funds for the Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi’s Project Tiger through his painting Tiger Fire. Recognising the growing threat to the tiger in the wild, David wanted to engage new audiences in the campaign to save the species and launched TigerTime - a social media based campaign that works to spread public awareness and motivate engagement in the fight to save the tiger. The campaign aims to support tiger conservation and to campaign to ban the trade in all tiger parts from all sources (wild and captive). This document explains how and where we support tiger conservation.
Discover more at www.tigertime.info
All funds to support the tiger conservation outlined here are raised by both DSWF and TigerTime supporters.
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Contact Vicky Flynn - TigerTime Manager Tel: 01483 443851 Email: vicky.flynn@davidshepherd.org TigerTime is a campaign of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation Registered Charity No: 1106893
TigerTime
The DSWF campaign raising awareness and funds for tiger conservation and calling for an end to the trade in tiger parts Since it was launched by David Shepherd in 2011 DSWF’s TigerTime campaign has gone from strength to strength, writes campaign manager, Vicky Flynn. Our goal was to help raise awareness of the plight of the 3,000 wild tigers left on earth, to increase funding to DSWF’s already established tiger conservation work in India, Thailand and Russia and to campaign for an end to the trade in tiger parts from all sources. The aim was to engage new audiences through social media - something that was fairly new to DSWF in 2011 - and after a slow build up the last twelve months have brought a cascade of success. In March 2014, the TigerTime Facebook page had 32,000 followers - today it exceeds 500,000. Twitter followers are close to 32,000 and over 334,000 people have lent their name to our ban tiger trade petition. With all our celebrity supporters activated and tweeting the campaign can reach 18 million people - a huge reach for tigers! This growth has attracted much support and working in collaboration with photographers, writers, artists, supporters and other NGOs, TigerTime is pushing to raise funds and to keep tigers on the international agenda in 2015/16. While the attention of the world is focussed on the alarming depletion of elephant and rhino populations, the surviving 3,000 wild tigers are receiving less of the limelight making 2015 an important year for the tiger. Following intense discussions at CITES in July 2014 some very specific recommendations on tigers were adopted: •
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Countries are to ensure that their legislation prohibits domestic trade, including in derivatives of captive bred tigers Those who are currently trading are required to report the scale of that trade Countries must report on the volume of existing stockpiles Countries must destroy the bodies of deceased captive tigers
Between now and the next meeting in January 2016 progress will be assessed by a working group being chaired by China.
TigerTime wants to demonstrate how important we feel these recommendations are to the survival of the tiger and our aim is to deliver over half a million signatures to the Chinese Embassy in London in October 2015 respectfully requesting that China, in its key role as chair of the inter-sessional working group, guarantees the compliance of CITES members to all of these recommendations. Without that compliance, the future of the wild tiger remains uncertain.
your friends and family to do the same. As the uncontrolled breeding and trade in tigers and tiger derivatives grows in China and Laos your voice counts. There is a saying that if you didn’t fight for what you want, don’t cry for what you’ve lost - please help us fight for the tiger before it’s too late. Photo courtesy of Michael Vickers www.tigersintheforest.co.uk
You can be part of it. We already have over 300,000 signatories but need more. You can help us reach the 500,000 mark by signing up at www.bantigertrade.com and asking
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Protecting the Bengal tiger, India Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Indian state of Assam, provides vital habitat for diverse wildlife and has been protected since the early 20th century. Considered to be one of India’s most critical tiger habitats, Kaziranga offers prime territory for this apex predator with abundant prey and tall grass habitat for camouflage. There are estimated to be approximately 100 tigers in Kaziranga which may be one of the densest concentrations in India today. Despite prime habitat, this significant population of tigers is under threat from poaching and encroachment. In September 2013, the park experienced its first ever case of a tiger being poisoned by poachers. It is vital that tigers are given the protection they need and wherever possible poachers are identified and brought to justice. With the increasingly well funded trade in illegal wildlife, innovative and effective ways of tackling this crime are becoming more and more important.
Background DSWF has worked with Indian NGO, Aaranyak for over 20 years to protect endangered species in the state of Assam, India. Sole funders of a vital, comprehensive communications system for the forest rangers as well as funding equipment and floating anti-poaching patrol camp (images; right), DSWF has facilitated substantial state-of-the-art wildlife protection in Kaziranga National Park. In association with Kaziranga National Park Authorities of Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak, DSWF and TigerTime support fundamental tiger monitoring. Setting up and maintaining camera traps in areas that tigers roam, the traps generate fascinating insights into the lives of tigers in the Park. The images captured by the cameras also provide information that help teams on the ground to plan, implement and manage tailored measures to ensure long term conservation and protection of tiger in Kaziranga National Park. Complementing existing protection and monitoring work, DSWF and TigerTime expanded its support to fund the region’s first dog squad. Jorba, an extraordinary Belgian shepherd dog, and his handler Anil are proving to be pioneers in the fight against poaching. Having been specially trained, Jorba is capable of picking up a scent, tracking and bringing down a suspect and is trained to detect wildlife products such as tiger skin and bones. Working with local communities in the area, DSWF and TigerTime also funds education programmes and alternative livelihood schemes such as pig farming and weaving as well as advice on establishing sales networks to ensure that people have a sustainable income and do not resort to poaching. Raising awareness among communities, an annual cycle rally takes the message of conservation to schools and villages in and around the national park.
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Impact There are as few as 3,000 tigers left in the wild. The demand for tiger parts as trophies, status symbols and as an ingredient in Traditional Chinese Medicine is driving this iconic species to the brink of extinction. The monitoring of tigers in Kaziranga and surrounding areas through camera-trapping has resulted in many thousands of tiger images which are helping the team to understand not only tigers, but also provide an estimation of the available prey in the region. This, in turn, will lead to the development of a comprehensive conservation strategy. Alongside anti-poaching patrols and essential community work to provide alternative livelihoods, education campaigns and mitigate human-tiger conflict, this holistic project represents an innovative and flexible method of protecting tigers and their habitat in the region as well as numerous other wild animal species.
Left to right: Setting up a camera trap; Dog squad; Alternative livelihoods; Tiger photographed by camera trap.
How you can help Supporting efforts to protect the tiger in Assam will contribute to a unique project which DSWF and TigerTime has funded for over 20 years, providing innovative, comprehensive solutions that benefit wildlife, its habitat and local communities. Your funding will: • run anti-poaching patrols to keep the remaining tigers safe • raise awareness about the illegal trade in tiger parts • educate local children about the value of their native wildlife • work with local communities to ensure they do not need to rely on illegal wildlife trade • carry out research into tiger numbers
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Kaziranga is a jewel in India’s wildlife crown and vitally important to the last remaining populations of Indian one-horned rhino, wild tiger and Asian elephant. David Shepherd CBE
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Protecting tigers, Thailand Initial surveys indicate an important remnant tiger population in Thailand. Given the extremely low numbers of tigers remaining in the wild, this makes the region a critical landscape for tiger conservation. Thailand is thought to be home to nearly 200 wild tigers. However this species along with numerous other wild animals which inhabit the lush forest, are threatened by habitat destruction and fragmentation. Roads, forest clearance for agriculture and house-building are encroaching on national parks leading to the opening up of forest areas and facilitating poaching and illegal logging which further depletes the forest and the habitat it represents. Publicity about the number of tigers in the region is itself putting the animals further at risk as demand for and prices of tiger parts continue to rise. With just 3,200 tigers left worldwide, the population in Thailand represents a significant population and it is vital that funds are invested in their protection.
Background David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) has been supporting FREELAND and the critical work it undertakes in wildlife protection and wildlife trade investigation since 2010. Working across important forest complexes, which encompasses five national parks over 6,200km2, the primary aim of DSWF and TigerTime’s funding is to support the professional development and training of antipoaching techniques for park rangers enabling them to build their capacity to protect wildlife populations, especially tigers. To maximise efficiency, rangers are also being involved as stakeholders (image; right, identifying tiger tracks). Trained to collect and record presence and distribution data for mammal species during the course of routine patrols, this allows park managers to identify core areas where antipoaching initiatives are most needed. Along with ranger training, DSWF and TigerTime is also supporting awareness in the community about why the forest complex is important as a World Heritage Site. This includes visits to schools immediately adjacent to the park as well as along the highway corridor which transects the region leaving the area vulnerable to encroachment and poaching. It is hoped that by reaching the children of poachers and influencing children’s attitudes before they become involved in poaching themselves, that the poaching cycle can be broken; a significant component to the longterm survival of the important wildlife populations in the forest complex.
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Impact The comprehensive tiger conservation which is being undertaken has led to a greater pride and commitment among park staff towards protecting the tigers. Additionally, reaching over 5,500 students and numerous teachers and local communities, the outreach project has received strong, positive feedback. As a result of this intensive and consistent work, there have been no reports of tigers being poached in the region for over three years. However, significant threats remain to the tigers and other wildlife within the forest complex. Encroachment, logging and poaching persist and it is therefore important that comprehensive solution such as this continue to be supported.
Left to right: Tiger in Thailand; Ranger pointing out a tree marked by a poacher; Tiger education workshop; Ranger training
How you can help The important population of tigers in Thailand symbolises the remarkable biodiversity of the region. Help DSWF to fund this fundamental project which is successfully working to secure the future of the tiger by providing the protection it needs as well as helping local communities to understand and respect the significance of the region they live in and the species within. Your funding will: • monitor this important population of tiger • protect the tiger population in the region • ensure anti-poaching resources are implemented in key areas • educate local children about the value of their native wildlife • work with local communities to ensure they do not need to rely on illegal wildlife trade
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could: £3 – Pro tect a tig er range leech pro r from le of socks eches w ith £14 – Fu nd a ran ger’s slee ping bag £16 – Pr ovide a fi eld fir st a id kit £25 – Pr ovide bin ocular s to a ranger £25 – Fu nd a spo tlight to patrols enable n ight £40 – Pr ovide a r anger wit h a came £71 – Pr ra ovide a r anger wit h a walkie £206 – F talkie und a ca mera tra p to mo £500 – F nitor tige und a co rs mputer to data store vit al tiger
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Protecting the Amur tiger, Russia Background Since 1994, following the crisis that faced the Amur tiger in the 1980’s, DSWF has been working to protect the species through anti-poaching activities managed by local Russian NGO ‘The Phoenix Fund’. Providing anti-poaching teams with key field equipment, fuel and spare vehicle parts, they implement an advanced patrol management tool which makes it possible to compare standardised performance indicators between teams, conservation sites and time periods. This enables the assessment of anti-poaching work to identify problem areas with intensive poaching, patrol quality, hotspots where expanded and targeted patrols are needed and how best to use available resources. DSWF and TigerTime also fund education and community activities, including Tiger Day, a public awareness event which has gone from strength to strength. What began as a small, local event in Vladivostock, Russia in 2000, has grown into one which brings thousands of people, from children to high-level officials, together worldwide in solidarity for the protection of the awesome tiger. This complements educational workshops and camps where teachers and pupils undertake engaging, hands-on workshops to learn about the Amur tiger, its habitat and the various issues it faces. Additionally, DSWF and TigerTime support the rehabilitation of injured and orphaned wild Amur tigers. Having minimal contact with humans and monitored largely by remote cameras, rescued tigers are rehabilitated in large, natural enclosures and wherever possible are released back into the wild.
Impact Throughout 2014 anti-poaching and tiger habitat security efforts supported by DSWF and TigerTime in four protected areas of the Russian Far East identified over 250 violations, 9 criminal cases and the seizure of 11 rifles, reflecting the sad fact that this protection work is fundamental to the future of the Amur tiger. Despite the six-fold increase in Amur tiger numbers since the 1980s, fragmentation of habitat, poaching and a decline in the tiger’s prey base continue to place significant pressure on this remarkable animal.
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Right to left: Difficult conditions for anti-poaching patrols; Tiger bones; Tiger Day; Camera trap image of rescued and rehabilitated tiger, Cinderella.
How you can help DSWF with the support of the TigerTime campaign has been protecting the Amur tiger in its natural habitat for nearly 20 years, having helped to save the species from the brink of extinction. Be part of this legacy and secure the future of this remarkable animal by providing the protection it needs and making people aware not only of the importance of the Amur tiger but of the wider biodiversity of the region. Your funding will: • support anti-poaching patrols to keep Amur tigers safe • help to campaign to raise awareness about the illegal trade in tiger parts • educate local children about the value of their native wildlife • work with local communities to ensure they do not need to rely on illegal wildlife trade • carry out research into tiger numbers and prey distribution in key habitats • rescue and rehabilitate tigers that might one day be returned to the wild
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Your help
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£25 - Pr ovide fun ds for w rescued ater of tiger s for one wee k £180 - T rain a loc al teache Amur tig r about t er. he £200 - P rovide fu el, spare par ts for and repa an anti-p ir oaching week team for one £300 - S uppor t e co-lesson month s for one £750 - P rovide fie ld equipm uniform ent and for an an t ipoaching one mon team for th
Wildlife emergencies and Ban Tiger Trade DSWF and TigerTime also fund emergency grants for wildlife crises in India through the Wildlife Trust of India responding to real-time emergencies. These may involve the relocation of tigers that have come into conflict with humans; providing extra equipment to forest patrols or funding awareness programmes resulting from a tiger issue in an area. Part of the TigerTime campaign is to engage with politicians to bring about an end to the illegal trade in tiger parts from all sources. This is supported by its Ban Tiger Trade campaign www.bantigertrade.com
You can find out more about our work to save the tiger at www.tigertime.info
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ŠSuzi Eszterhas
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