Why Supporting Policy in Washington Is Important

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. 

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

USFWS Crushes 1 ton of Elephant Ivory in Times Square

In an historic effort to reduce demand for illegal wildlife parts and to raise awareness about the international poaching crisis, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service crushed 1 ton of confiscated elephant ivory in Times Square, the heart of New York City, on Friday.

Confiscated elephant ivory in Times Square

A coalition of NGOs from all over the globe, including Tigers for Tigers, came together to witness this symbolic event in one of our country’s most iconic locations. Among others, special guests included Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe, actress Kristen Davis, and representatives in Congress from New York State. This year marks the second Ivory Crush event hosted by the United States - the first one occurred two years ago, in Denver.

The message is loud and clear - we need to do everything in our power to discourage illegal trade, increase enforcement and reduce demand for illegal wildlife products and parts. We cannot wait any longer and we need to take action now, before it is too late.

“If we want our children, our grandchildren, to see elephants in the wild and other species, we owe it to them to shut down the market that motivates poachers,” said Jewell.

Secretary of Interior, Sally Jewel

The U.S. Ivory Crush event is just one of several recent ivory destruction events taking place throughout the world. We hope that other countries will follow, in hopes of stigmatizing the value of illegal wildlife products. Unless a tusk is connected to an elephant, it has no value. Unless we reduce the demand, the poaching will continue. We must stand up and tell the world that this matters to us! Only by shedding light on such dark practices can we end the threat of illegal poaching.  

Over the past few years, the United States has made significant advances towards addressing wildlife trafficking, starting with President Obama’s Executive Order on Wildlife Trafficking in 2013. The establishment of a National Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking followed suit, as did the introduction of the Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2015 and the new Global Anti-Poaching Act. There is still more work to be done, but we are very confident that change is coming, and Tigers for Tigers will continue to tirelessly support these efforts.

You can participate in this week’s event by spreading the message about the Ivory Crush using the hash-tag #IvoryCrush. Follow our friends @USFWSInternatl and support their great work!

For more information about the Ivory Crush, click here.

Have a great weekend everyone!

All the best,

Sean Carnell

National Coordinator

National T4T Coalition

607.280.4331

t4tcoalition@gmail.com