Let’s start with some basic facts. Tigers live in Asia. Asia
is very large. Asia is also very far away. New Delhi, the capital of the India
(the country with the largest tiger population) is 7,480 miles from our capital
of Washington, D.C.
These factors add up to a common problem faced by many
well-intentioned citizens who want to take action to help save wildlife and the
environments they call home but feel utterly helpless to do anything. What can an average United States citizen
possibly do for tigers and other imperiled species half a world away? Well,
quite a lot actually.
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| Taylor Tench (Clemson T4T), Senator Time Scott (R-SC), Diane Dotson (Clemson T4T) |
As a global superpower, the United States government has a
stake in every international issue, and that includes endangered species
conservation. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), US Agency for
International Development, and the US State Department all have international
conservation programs in countries around the world. Since our inception,
Tigers for Tigers has been a large supporter of FWS’s Multinational Species
Conservation Funds (MSCFs). The MSCFs allow the Fish and Wildlife Service to
provide grants supporting on the ground conservation efforts for tigers,
rhinos, elephants, apes, and marine turtles. Past projects have benefitted tiger
conservation in the forms of scientific research, law enforcement training and
capacity building, and public education to reduce the demand for wildlife
products.
It is important to remember that the amount of money the
government makes available to the MSCFs is subject to change annually. Each
year the government must create (or at least attempt to create) a new budget,
which means every federal program is at risk of a reduced budget. This is where
we can take action. Tigers for Tigers members have a huge voice on the Hill,
and have been effective at letting our Congressmen know that tiger conservation
is extremely important to us and that we need more money to support tiger
conservation efforts.
In addition to funding international conservation programs,
the United States is in an important position to take a leadership role on
combatting the illegal wildlife trade through law. As the second largest
importer of illegal wildlife products (China is #1) we have a responsibility to
stem the tide of this $20 billion a year industry. Fortunately there are
currently two bills in Congress that will strengthen the United States’ ability
to fight the illegal wildlife trade. The Senate bill is the Wildlife Trafficking
Enforcement Act (S.27) and the bill in the House of Representatives is the Global
Anti-Poaching Act (HR. 2494). Only several days after T4T members traveled to D.C.
this month to meet with their Congressman to discuss these two bills, the
Global Anti-Poaching Act moved out of Committee and was introduced to the House
floor. If this bill passes, it would be a huge step in the fight against
wildlife traffickers, not only here in the US but also abroad. When the United
States takes a stand on an issue, it is usually the start of a paradigm shift
as other countries begin to follow suit.
Right now, international wildlife conservation is garnering
more media attention than it has in a very long time. The wildlife trafficking
and poaching crisis is at the forefront of our Congressmen’s minds. This
momentum can die down at any time, which is why our voice matters now more than
ever. By supporting these policy initiatives we can save tigers from the
comfort of our homes. If you’re a true tiger fan call, write, or email your
Congressman today and let them know you want to keep our mascot alive!
Click here to support the Multinational Species Conservation
Funds today.
Go Tigers!
Taylor Tench
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