Tigers, trade

95 cases of tigers known to have been killed in 1994
121 tigers killed in 1995
52 tigers killed in 1996
88 tigers killed in 1997
39 tigers killed in 1998
81 tigers killed in 1999
52 tigers killed in 2000
72 tigers killed in 2001
46 tigers killed in 2002
38 tigers killed in 2003
38 tigers killed in 2004
46 tigers killed in 2005
37 tigers killed in 2006
27 tigers killed in 2007
29 tigers killed in 2008
32 tigers killed in 2009
30 tigers killed in 2010

  A century ago there were 100,000 tigers roaming the forests, swamps, and tundra of Asia. TODAY, there are as few as 3,200 left in the wild. Only 7% of historic tiger habitat still contains tigers.

At this rate, wild tigers will be extinct in just a few decades.

Consumer demand for tiger parts poses the largest threat to tiger survival. Tigers are being hunted to extinction by poachers for their skins, bones, teeth and claws, which are highly valued for their use in traditional Asian medicine (TAM), various folk remedies and various products. The wildlife trade network, TRAFFIC, found that for the past two years, the smuggled parts from at least 200 tigers have been confiscated per year by law enforcement in Asia. In the past 10 years, over 1000 tigers have been killed to traffic their parts to meet consumer demand in Asia.

 Tiger bones have been used in TAM for a wide variety of ailments for more than 1,000 years. In 1993 the Chinese government banned the trade and use of tiger parts, but cultural belief in the power of tiger parts remains.

Parts from a single tiger can fetch as much as $50,000 on the black market, making the poaching of these magnificent creatures very alluring to criminal networks.

Claws, teeth and whiskers are believed to prov ide good luck and protective powers. And tiger skins and tiger bone wine are valued as status symbols.

Links:

 http://www.savetigersnow.org/problem

http://www.tigersincrisis.com/trade_tigers.htm

The Snare - hunting

                                 THE SNARE by James Stephens
                                                              I hear a sudden cry of pain!
                                                              There is a rabbit in a snare:
                                                              Now I hear the cry again,
                                                              But I cannot tell from where.

                                                              But I cannot tell from where
                                                              He is calling out for aid!
                                                              Crying on the frightened air,
                                                             Making everything afraid!

                                                             Making everything afraid!
                                                             Wrinkling up his little face!
                                                             And he cries again for aid;
                                                            - and I cannot find the place!

                                                            And I cannot find the place
                                                            Where his paw is in the snare!
                                                            Little One! Oh, Little One!
                                                            I am searching everywhere!

 One of my favourite poems. Makes me cry every time. But it is perfect for todays topic hunting for fun. 


Unlike hundreths of years ago we don't need to hunt to survive. Most people do it for fun or money. In canada hundreths of seal are killed for fun every year, in other countries there are special hunting spots. In countries where animals over populate killing is not painful and necessary. But snares and other forest animal traps are cruel and painful. Sometimes an animal is left in one for so long it dies of hunger or it bleeds to death. Plz stand up for the poor animals

 under this picture someone wrote that it is an awesome rabbit trap. It is not awesome for the rabbit.