Spring 2014 Issue Three
TigerTime News
The online magazine of the TigerTime Campaign
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PROJECT UPDATES from Thailand, India and Russia Celebrity supporter news How you can get involved and save the tiger in the wild TigerTime is a campaign run by the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation Reg Charity No 1106893
Exclusive to TigerTime for ONE WEEK ONLY! See the back page..
Welcome to TigerTime News Dear Supporter, It’s been a very busy 2014 for TigerTime so far. We made a noise at the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade hosted by the UK Government in February and helped spread the word about the illegal tiger trade to over 18.5 million people on social media. You can read more and see who supported us on the next page.
CONTACT Vicky Flynn TigerTime Saba House 7 Kings Road Shalford, Guildford Surrey GU4 8JU Tel: 01483 272323 Email: dswf@tigertime.info
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TigerTime would like to thank Marks & Spencer for kindly sponsoring our website at www.tigertime.info
TigerTime is a campaign run by the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation a registered UK Charity No: 1106893 TigerTime would like to thank all the photographers who donate their images, especially Michael Vickers. Join TigerTime by signing up at www.tigertime.info
We’ve engaged 10,000 new people in our campaign to end the trade in tiger parts which are still being used in traditional Chinese medicine in the belief that they cure everything from cancer to pimples and over 46,000 additional people have liked our campaign on Facebook. Facebook is fast becoming a great forum for the discussion of issues and the sharing of views helping to really drive the message home that we want tigers alive in the wild, not dead on someone’s floor or reduced to powders and tonics. At the end of March news broke that businessmen were paying for tigers to be killed for exotic banquets in Guangdong Province, China and we urged our supporters to write to the Chinese Ambassador in their country to demand a thorough investigation. You can still write a letter - see more at: http://tigertime. info/blog/146/99/Letter-to-the-Chinese-Ambassador#sthash.puRMa9ZE.dpuf We’re currently waiting for a reply. But in the meantime members of China’s top legislative body passed a reinterpretation of the country’s criminal law, publicly announcing that eating and trading rare animals will result in up to 10 years in jail. This is an unprecedented step in a country where bear bile, pangolin soup, tiger bone and rhino horn are used widely as both delicacies and traditional medicine. The actions and activity of our followers are certainly helping to drive change but
we still need YOU to help us.
On our website we have a “Contact your local MP” section with all the details of how you can help. We need you to write to your MP, or your elected representative (especially if you live in a tiger range country) and make sure that tigers are firmly on the agenda at the next CITES meeting in 2016. You’ll find all the information you need at: http://tigertime.info/take-action/contact-your-local-mp/your-local-mp Thank you for your incredible support. The TigerTime family keeps on growing and is making a huge difference in the protection of the endangered tiger. Whether you have donated, bought merchandise or signed up to the campaign, we would not be here without you. Keep up the great work - together we can save the tiger in the wild. Thank you! Vicky Flynn - Campaign Manager
Action
Celebrity support helps us reach out to 18.5 million in call to ban the trade in tiger parts
Slash, Amanda Abbington, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Fry, Naomie Harris and Deborah Meaden were among those calling for an end to the trade in tiger parts
TigerTime celebrity supporters are never slow in lending their support as we fight to save the tiger in the wild and earlier this year helped the campaign reach over 18.5 million twitter and Facebook followers as we called for a ban in the trade of tiger parts. The call came ahead of the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade hosted by the UK Government on February 13th to agree political commitments to tackle the illegal wildlife trade which is now worth £11.5 billion a year.
Our ‘Make London Lead’ campaign received brilliant support not only from our celebrity supporters but everyone keen to give the tiger a voice. “It was amazing to see the response from people around the world through social media and provides another strong indicator that the campaign has real reach” says campaign manager, Vicky Flynn. Celebrities who took part were: Ricky Gervais, Naomie Harris, Stephen Fry,
Jane Fallon, Kirsty Gallacher, Darryn Lyons, Amanda Abbington, Wincey Willis, Brian Blessed, Sheridyn Fisher, Sarah Jane Honeywell, Martin Freeman, Lynn Shepherd, Simon King, Lucy Pinder, Zoe Lyons, Peter Egan, Melanie C, Deborah Meaden, Slash, Sam Fox, Liz Bonnin, Theo Paphitis, Sick Of It All and Marcus Brigstocke. More information about the campaign can be found at: www.tigertime.info Sign up at: www.bantigertrade.com
Kirsty Gallacher, Peter Egan, Melanie C, Lucy Pinder, Sheridyn Fisher lent their voice to the campaign to save the tiger
TigerTime’s response to the London Declaration TigerTime welcomes the strong signs that world leaders are finally getting serious about tackling international wildlife crime. The Declaration that William Hague described as 'ambitious and powerful' and that will show the world that 'we will not tolerate this abhorrent trade' recognises the scale of the problem and suggests building on the existing international framework for action. It recognises the important role of community engagement, NGOs, academic institutions and the private sector, commits its signatories and calls on the international community to provide leadership and practical support for a list of actions.
The actions: * Eradicating the market for illegal wildlife products * Ensuring effective legal frameworks and deterrents * Strengthening law enforcement * Sustainable livelihoods and economic development This is very welcome news for the amazingly brave men and women that we fund on the frontline of tiger conservation and who require increased funding and commitment from their governments. But with no additional funding we have to keep up the
fight to raise awareness and funds for our tiger work. TigerTime currently funds all the areas outlined as ‘actions’ and is particularly keen to see an end to the market of tiger parts from all sources. We are determined to ensure that the strong rhetoric and wide public support for tigers that was generated in London in February is turned into meaningful action. Join TigerTime by signing up at www.tigertime.info
Celebrity
Welcome
Pamela Anderson TigerTime is delighted to welcome actress Pamela Anderson to the family. See all our celebrity supporters at http://tigertime.info/supporters
“There is nothing worse than doing nothing...” On a beautiful spring evening in London the TigerTime team gathered some key supporters at the historic Burgh House in Hampstead with the aim of raising awareness and support for the important work that we fund to protect wild tigers in India, Thailand and Russia. Work that will ensure a sustainable future for one of the world’s most iconic species. If, like our guest speaker Deborah Meaden (left), you are moved by the issues facing the tiger in the wild please ‘make a promise that you are going to do something for the tiger - there is nothing worse than doing nothing’.
L to r: Business woman and entrepreneur Deborah Meaden was guest speaker at the private event at Burgh House in April which also attracted the support of novelist Jane Fallon, actor and comedian Ricky Gervais and designer, Elizabeth Emanuel
Own an original tiger by one of our celebrity supporters You can support TigerTime by bidding on one of our fabulous celebrity tiger originals that will be exhibited and auctioned this summer. Supporters, including David Shepherd CBE, Sir Michael Parkinson, Deborah Meaden, Brian Blessed, Alan Titchmarsh and Gemma Atkinson will have their work on show to raise funds for our tiger projects at the Mall Galleries, London SW1 from 3rd - 7th June, 10am-5pm (4pm Saturday). You’ll be able to bid by email too so this is a great opportunity to own some celebrity artwork and raise money to support our projects in India, Thailand and Russia. Please bid generously! The full catalogue will be available soon!
Join TigerTime by signing up at www.tigertime.info
Tiger Project news
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India
Photo courtesy of Michael Vickers www.tigersintheforest.co.uk
Community outreach helps increase harmony with India’s precious wildlife
As human-animal conflict intensifies across the Indian state of Assam the news of the birth of four tiger cubs has created great excitement in the tribal hamlet of Natundanga Gaon. “It’s a noticeably different kind of excitement with villagers now actively protecting the tiger family,” says Mangal Singh Teron, a resident who leads a youth group working for the conservation and protection of the park. The villagers’ enthusiasm for the tigers marks a huge shift in attitude from their traditional hunting roots. This change follows the launch in 2008 of the annual awareness programmes funded by TigerTime and conducted by Aaranyak and the Assam Forest Department which includes the Nature Orientation Initiative for children.
Despite having very little these villagers are now actively contributing to anti-poaching activities and the conservation of wildlife.
“It’s a noticeably different kind of excitement with villagers now actively protecting the tiger family.”
“We focus on encouraging an interest in conservation among young people and they share the message with friends and family. The shift in attitudes is proof that it’s really working,” says Md Arif Hussain, Project Officer with Aaranyak.
"The villagers are ensuring the safety of the tiger cubs in the area. Such a gesture is rare especially as a number of villages around the park continue to protest about the declaration of Kaziranga as a Tiger Reserve," says Dr. M Firoz Ahmed, Conservation Biologist at Aaranyak. Poaching is a real issue in the area and it is wonderful to see real results coming from these TigerTime supported outreach and education programmes. “Seeing the impact of our conservation outreach activities is hugely encouraging,” adds Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, Secretary General of Aaranyak.
“Our long term-plan, supported by TigerTime, to engage with villagers, share knowledge and create model livelihood programmes to encourage people and animals to live in harmony is really beginning to reap rewards.”
DONATE to save the tiger: http://bit.ly/TigerTimeDonate
Tiger Project news
Thailand
CEO Sally Case reports back from her project audit trip with Freeland
Day 1
I met with Freeland’s elite team of international investigators. This highly experienced and skilled team travel between Africa, Thailand (the trafficking hub to the East) and Vietnam, linking intelligence and evidence together. By bringing together the authorities in these strategic wildlife trade countries, they are drawing the net in ever closer to the trafficking kingpin Keosavang, his syndicate and all those associated with him. With their determination, very soon one of the East’s biggest wildlife traffickers will be out of business for good.
I met with the chief ranger to discuss the villagers violent attack on the rangers. He looked worried and tired - it’s been one crisis after another during his first year in the job. He doesn’t know how to address the demand for rosewood with the resources he has. Fifty drunken villagers attacked eight rangers, they were outnumbered and out gunned. When the poachers are in the forest they are taking any wildlife they come across, to eat and to sell as bush meat. This impacts dramatically on where the tigers can safely go and what they can eat.
Day 2
Day 4
I looked through camera trap pictures from the eastern forest complex. Very excitingly we spotted one beautiful female tigress with signs that she is feeding cubs. If she is we might expect to see them showing up on the camera traps in 3-6 months time. From the camera trap images triggered by both animals and humans, the Freeland team calculate there has been a 900% increase in poacher presence in this forest complex. A shocking rise in human activity in such a precious tiger habitat.
Day 3
In the field with the rangers we received news of a tiger attack on cattle for the first time in 20 years. There are pictures of the cattle and tiger pugmarks. DSWF-funded community staff will head over to the village to work with the villagers to ensure that there are no reprisal attacks on tigers. The chiefs were also called to an emergency meeting as yesterday one of the ranger sub stations was attacked by a group of villagers seeking less intervention on rosewood poaching incidents! This wood is going for $95,000 per cubic metre and poaching is up dramatically in the last year.
I was out with the Freeland team checking camera traps in the park. It's a beautiful tropical forest awash with wild orchids, huge butterflies and hornbills. The first camera, deep in the park, had been knocked to the foot of the tree. We loaded the SD card into the laptop to see who the culprit was and found a magnificent young male tusker caught in the act! There's also a poacher walking past - looks like a single local but no tigers on this one. We went deeper into the forest and reset a camera on a tree where the team have seen tigers before next to a rocky outcrop. They show me the photos of two tigers walking past this tree - pure magic! The challenges facing the tiger in the wild are complex, and the impact of man’s desire for luxury items such as rosewood on these beautiful spaces and the animals that depend on this habitat was painfully evident. In an area where the park rangers have been regularly overwhelmed by mounting pressures it was heartening to see DSWF funding supporting such a dedicated team working with park staff to boost their resources, training and above all their morale. It is extraordinary to think that with this vital help tigers are not just surviving, but breeding in this tropical haven just a few hours from a busy city.
Project Background The primary aim of TigerTime’s funding in Thailand is to support the professional development and training of anti-poaching techniques for park rangers enabling them to build their capacity to protect wildlife populations, especially tigers. Rangers are also being trained to collect and record presence and distribution data for mammal species during the course of routine patrols which will allow park managers to identify core areas where anti-poaching initiatives are most needed. Along with ranger training,TigerTime is also supporting awareness raising 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. TigerTime funds staff that have extensive experience of conducting educational activities in Thai schools and are able to reach the children of poachers and influence their attitudes before they become involved in poaching themselves. Breaking the poaching cycle is critical to the long-term survival of the important wildlife populations in the forest complex. Join TigerTime by signing up at www.tigertime.info
Camera traps provide an amazing snapshot into the life of the Thai forests - Sally Case with the team below
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Tiger Project news
Russia
Anti-poaching and educational awareness to protect the Amur tiger The emergency grant issued by DSWF before Christmas to ensure that rare Amur tigers were kept fed and away from conflict with humans in the Russian Far East this winter has been a great success. Made following the worst floods in 50 years and a shortage of acorns and cedar nuts in the Anyuisky National Park, the grant provided additional fodder for the big cat’s favourite food – the wild boar – which would otherwise have struggled to survive. Throughout November and December the park rangers established feeding stations for the wild boar which were kept stocked every day. With about 40 per cent of the local wild boar population living in the park it is vital that they are kept well fed. The extra food helped them survive the worst of the winter ensuring a strong breeding stock this spring to restore wild boar numbers, and tigers, in turn, will continue to have enough food too.
Our work in Russia Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the subsequent relaxation of border controls, the Russian Far East has become a major source of illegal wildlife products to satisfy the consumer markets across the border, especially in China. By the winter of 1993, officials estimated that 60 rare Amur tigers were being poached every year and that numbers had crashed to fewer than 100 due to a loss of habitat, prey base and poaching. The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation immediately responded to the crisis helping to save the Amur tiger from certain extinction. And, since 1994, has been jointly funding anti-poaching activities, which are now run by local Russian NGO Phoenix Fund. Today, from its base in Vladivostok, Phoenix Fund supports professionally trained and well-equipped anti-poaching teams who regularly patrol two national parks Primorye and South of Khabarovsky krai - and investigate smuggling and conflict tiger cases. By the project’s tenth anniversary, the wild tiger population had climbed back to a sustainable level of almost 450. As a TigerTime supporter you are helping us continue this vital work in one of the world’s most inhospitable and remote locations where the survival of these extremely rare and beautiful big cats remains critical.
Rangers in the field deal with harsh conditions
ADOPT ZHORIK Adopting a tiger really can make the difference between life and death, not just for the animal you adopt but for all their cousins in the wild too. Adopt Zhorik our lovely rescued Amur tiger and help support him and our work to save the wild tiger. Without your help now, there may be no future for the tiger in the wild. It’s so easy to adopt simply call +44 (0)1483 272323 or click the link: http://bit.ly/AdoptZhorik DONATE to save the tiger: http://bit.ly/TigerTimeDonate
Shop to save a tiger A percentage of every purchase you make contributes to our work to save the tiger in the wild. It’s a great way to shop while supporting an amazing cause!
Fabulous tiger ART Simply click the image to find out more and buy online
Is it Beetle? by Emily Lamb £50 plus p&p
Winter’s Embrace by Nathan Bye £35 plus p&p
David Shepherd, CBE
Into the Sunlight
Intense Siberian Tiger by Jeremy Paul £60 plus p&p
£225 plus p&p
Tiger pencil sketch £15 plus p&p
Tiger in the Snow £255 plus p&p
Sketch for the Tiger £80 plus p&p
EXCLUSIVE Hand-made Tiger’s Eye natural stone jewellery
Beautiful hand-crafted and designed jewellery by London-based maker Lorarty London. These inspirational designs blend together deep colourful tradition from the east with bold minimalist elements from the modern west. The lovely pendants includes a polished 'Tiger's Eye' natural stone and come with an 18" solid brass or solid silver chain and are presented in a gift box. The rings come in solid silver or brass with a flexible back to size it just for you are presented in a gift box. All metals used are nickel-free and of the highest quality.
Tiger Scarves only £10 Gorgeous soft tiger print scarves in purple, blue or grey - big enough to wear as a sarong and great value!
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Lorarty London Brass is easy to care for. Simply clean occasionally with a silver cloth to keep bright. Nickel free brass does not mark the skin or cause any irritation and is anti-allergenic.
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Don’t forget our full range of clothing, wristbands, baseball caps, wallets and much more are all available online here: http://tigertime.isenterprises. co.uk/index.php
Check out the back page for our exclusive online t-shirt. Available 12-19 May ONLY! Order at www.float.org
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Funding Matters
Tiger Project news DONAT to save t E tiger tod he ay
During the last year TigerTime and its parent, the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, has funded tiger conservation, education and investigative activities in India, Thailand, Russia and China amounting to £176,000. This vital work helps us protect almost 25 per cent of the world’s tiger population. When you consider that in the UK the average house price is £250,000, we are doing a lot of great work with relatively little. So thank you to everyone who donates - PLEASE keep doing so - please keep tigers wild and free.
INDIA - £40,000 to support work in Assam protecting the Indian rhino, tiger and elephant populations. A further £10,500 for undercover operations to expose and prevent illegal smuggling of wildlife products. £10,000 for the Wildlife Trust of India’s Rapid Action Project reacting to emergency wildlife situations. RUSSIA - £34,000 to support the fight to save the last Amur tigers through anti-poaching and community education programmes. THAILAND - £18,500 to support the work of the Freeland Foundation providing ranger training and community outreach in vital tiger habitat. WILDLIFE CRIME INVESTIGATION - £63,000 to support the work of the Environmental Investigation Agency, Freeland Foundation and Dr Roz Reeve exposing the illegal trade in tiger parts.
HOW YOU CAN HELP SAVE THE TIGER Give us a text! FUNdraise with an activity or a challenge) There is an easy way to donate to DONATE online at http://bit.ly/TigerTimeDonate help save the wild Send us a text TEXT if you are in the UK text donate ‘Tigr11£10’ to 70070 tiger! saying “Tigr11 £10” to 70070. BUY ART see our shopping page for more info Available in the UK You can also ADOPT ZHORIK and enjoy looking after your own Amur tiger only. donate £5 in the same way. SHOP our fabulous range of TigerTime goods ATTEND AN EVENT we have a black tie dinners, art exhibition and more! WRITE to your MP or elected representative GET SOCIAL join us on Facebook, twitter andTumblr
Find it all at www.tigertime.info
Join TigerTime by signing up at www.tigertime.info
Join us - join in
FUNdraise for TigerTime! TigerTime supporters from across the globe are helping raise much needed funds for our tiger protection programmes through some great local fundraising events! Not only are they supporting these vital protection measures, but also having a fantastic time! Why not get involved and link in to our national fundraising weekend at the end of September. Download the pack for lots of information to help get your fundraising event up and running! http://tigertime.info/take-action/fundraising-form
YOU CAN HELP SAVE THE TIGER!
London Marathon gaining fantastic support
Mouse takes on a challenge for tigers
As Wildlife Matters went to press our amazing London Marathon team of Helena Thorp, Jason Millward, Gail Long and Philip Wheeler were pounding the city streets for endangered wildlife.
Huge thanks and lots of admiration from the TigerTime team to Ailsa Ross (aka Mouse) who ran the Inverness Half Marathon on 9 March to raise funds to save the tiger. She made a great time of 2:17:44 and passed her fundraising target too! Thank you also to everyone on twitter and Facebook who supported Ailsa.
This is such an important fundraiser for so many charities and we’d like to say a HUGE thank you to our team. Of special note is the letter of support received by Jason Millward from his local MP Andrew Jones. “It’s not everyday you get a hand written letter from the House of Commons saying what a fantastic and important cause you’re supporting,” says Jason who has already taken on a number of challenges for our TigerTime campaign too.
TigerTime and DSWF have places in the London Marathon 2015 so, if there are any runners who'd like to raise money for endangered wildlife give us a call on +44 (0)1483 272323.
We agree with Andrew Jones but we’d also like to say just how important our fundraisers are too. You’re brilliant!
Help us save the tiger
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Please donate to help us fund our vital tiger field projects in India, Thailand and Russia. The tiger is in a desperate situation - we need your help to keep tigers safe and living in the wild where they belong.
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ONE WEEK ONLY!
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Be part of an elite squad of TigerTime supporters by buying amazing ‘Keep Wild Stay Free’ clothing It’s been designed by the brilliant team at Float Apparel exclusively for TigerTime and $8 from every t-shirt and vest goes direct to our tiger conservation projects. This really is a ONE WEEK ONLY offer - so be quick, be cool, keep wild, stay free be part of the team that’s working to save the tiger in the wild. Buy yours today at
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Exclusive: 12-19 May only!