Welcome to the National Tigers for Tigers Coalition!

Blog #1: June, 2013

Chelsea Connor with Doc, Towson MD

Welcome! My name is Chelsea Connor and I joined Tigers for Tigers (T4T) this year when I participated in the first National Tigers for Tigers Coalition in April. I am from Towson University, home of our tiger mascot Doc, as a pre-vet and animal behavior major. I was thrilled when another pre-vet major, and friend of mine, told me about T4T. Being in South Carolina to see other schools and students so excited to get involved was empowering and really confirmed my reasons for wanting to help save animals. Plus, being a proud Towson Tiger myself, I felt some responsibility to help our tiger mascot Doc during his time of need just like his has lifted my spirits at games. I mean, I don’t just paint tiger stripes on my face, wear black and gold or roar the fiercest roar I can manage for nothing. I do it, because the tiger symbolizes more than a mascot to me, it symbolizes a sense of being. We show pride, a majestic presence and respect towards our fellow competitors, but we also work hard to show our fierce teeth and our loud roar so our challengers know who’s going to win in the end. So I’m here because I owe it to my mascot, my school and myself to repay the honor of being a tiger every day. If we don’t fight for them, who will? Just like the tiger we are beautiful, powerful, and brave and we will earn our stripes.

"Real Life, Real Learning", Cobleskill, NY

My name is Kevin O’Day. I joined NT4TC earlier this year as a freshman at SUNY Cobleskill. For as long as I can remember, I have always loved big cats. In fact, I chose to attend Cobleskill because it has a tiger as a mascot, even before I knew about NT4TC. The coalition is important to me because it allows me to help save endangered wildlife while still in college. All species have the right to exist but saving tigers is especially important because they are so critically important to the ecological and cultural health of Asia and the world. I believe that if we as a species are unable to save tigers from extinction, we will have little hope of solving any of the problems that face us in the future and that NT4TC will be successful if we are able to motivate and mobilize the youth to take charge of their future and save this magnificent species. In order to expand the coalition I will be establishing a Tigers 4 Tigers Club at Cobleskill next semester.

The National Tigers for Tigers Coalition is a student led organization dedicated to the existence of our majestic, but endangered mascot, the tiger. Currently, we are formed from a collaboration of student groups of 12 tiger mascot colleges and universities from across the country with more to add. Through education, outreach and international programs, Tigers for Tigers works to utilize the power, creativity, and motivation of college students. The collaborative effort of the National Tigers for Tigers Coalition is focused on developing initiatives that reach a national scale to save the tiger from extinction.

This week 12 members of the National Tigers 4 Tigers Coalition went to Washington D.C. on June 12^th and 13^th, where we met with staff of congressmen and lobbied for the passage of the Big Cats and Public Safety Protection Act (H.R.1998), which would ban private ownership of big cats throughout America. We also lobbied for the transference of $50 million from the State Department, USAID to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to tackle the poaching crisis that is threatening the current existence of the tigers. Lastly, we advocated for the re-authorization of the Save Vanishing Species Stamp, which brings additional money into the USFWS to support endangered species protection efforts.



Meeting with Missouri's Legislative Assistant

One of the surprising facts that we learned during our trip was that the wildlife trade is a significant threat to the security of nations around the globe. Rhino horn is the most valuable substance on the planet followed by tiger bone, and elephant ivory. Together, these items are being used to fund terrorist organizations. With huge price tags on these wild animals, drug, arms or terrorist syndicates have prepared and trained poachers to do their dirty work, showing us how easy it is to kill even with law enforcement officials protecting the area. Clearly, there is a need for more officers who are trained, prepared and aware of the situation to even the playing field. Until then, when these terrorist organizations get tiger parts, rhino horn or ivory in their hands they sell it to Chinese markets in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars that can be used to fund attacks on America or other countries across the world. One example of this is Al Qaeda in North Africa, which is funded largely through elephant ivory.

Meeting with Louisiana's Legislative Assistant

Photo with Senator Tim Scott, South Carolina

Do not let these unfortunate facts get the best of you though. While in D.C., the congressmen seemed very receptive to the idea of a bipartisan vote for the protection of tigers and we are likely going to be returning next month to talk with more congressmen for more support. You can also help us out by writing your own tiger letter to let your congressmen know about this dire situation! Remember your congressmen works for you! So let him or her know what is important to you. We can only save the tiger with your help, your friend’s help, your family’s help and even your pet cat Fluffy’s help. To get more involved, join us on facebook and follow us on twitter to learn more about this issue. Our website also contains information on tigers, awareness and involvement that you can easily access to answer any questions you have. Together we can be a more powerful force than the poachers could ever be. But in order for that to happen we need to stick together, spread the word, write to our congressmen and continue to fight for the most majestic animal in the Asian forests.

Save the Tigers,

Chelsea L. Connor (Towson University, MD)

Kevin O’Day (SUNY Cobleskill, NY)

National Tigers for Tigers Coalition