Thailand the great hope in saving the tiger

[webfact]

WILDLIFE
Thailand the great hope in saving the tiger
THIRANAT SUCHARIKUL
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE PLANNING for a genetics regional database for wild cats in Thailand has begun in hopes of rescuing wild breeding tiger populations in the region - but serious law enforcement is still necessary to save the endangered animals, says the project's executive officer Panthera Alan Rabinowitz.

The genetics lab, if successful, could mark Thailand as a regional hub for tiger conservation - allowing for scientists to study and find ways in preserving the big cats.

Currently USAID, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the First Secretary from the US Embassy, and Chulalongkorn University have all expressed an interest in the project. Should everything run smoothly, lab setups and the training of personnel may begin early in 2015 and are expected to run 3-5 years in Thailand and 10 years in the entire region.

Tigers in Thailand are crucial because the Kingdom has the last known breeding population of the Indo-Chinese tigers in the region.

Only some 3,000 wild tigers are left in the world, of which around 200 are located in Thailand. Despite increased efforts to conserve these big cats by local governments, poachers who hunt the animals for Chinese medicinal purposes or for profit are still destroying the species faster than they can breed.

The lab will help Thailand understand its tiger population. This includes understanding both the genetics and the population structure so that related tigers aren't released to breed together says Salisa Rabinowitz, associate director at the American Museum of Natural History.

"Thailand is ready [to become a regional hub while] other countries in Southeast Asia are not," added Salisa Rabinowitz. According to the geneticist, what makes Thailand ready to become a regional hub compared to economically strong countries such as Singapore, Malaysia or even South Korea is that Thailand has both the wildlife and it is a non-commercial molecular lab, which means that data can be safeguarded.

But not only will a genetics regional database be essential for tiger conservation, harsher law enforcement by authorities is needed too. "We have come to realise [that]what needs the strongest focus [in order to conserve tigers],is more than good science, it is law enforcement - serious law enforcement," Alan Rabinowitz said.

"True law enforcement people, [such as] the police and soldiers should be especially trained to enter forests and to take part in some of this locking up of these forests," he said. "If governments would take this seriously, as serious as they take crime in the city, and these areas become better locked up, [there will be improvement.]" he said.

Reportedly, many people involved in killing these tigers can be traced back to larger rings of criminals also involved with child slavery, drugs and the selling of arms. The overlap has resulted in an increased cooperation between local authorities and the international wildlife community.

"Whatever is left here, is not just another tiger population, it's a crucial tiger population. Right now, while there are still some tigers left in other countries, we're not able to document any breeding population of tigers right now in Laos, in Cambodia, in Vietnam or in China," Alan Rabinowitz said.

Despite the critical tiger situation, Rabinowtiz remains optimistic because the attitudes of people are changing and there are habitats still available for these tigers to return. "I'm really hoping that in the next decade Thailand becomes the shining star, a model for wildlife conservation in the entire Southeast Asian region and the regional hub for training, reintroduction, for genetic work for all of Southeast Asia," he added.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Thailand-the-great-hope-in-saving-the-tiger-30240161.html


-- The Nation 2014-08-04

[Payboy]

and the regional hub for training, reintroduction, for genetic work for all of Southeast Asia

Hubba Hubba

[siampolee]

Thailand the great hope in saving the tiger

So is the plan to actually add water and other ingredients to the powdered remains of tigers used for ''medicinal and sexual performance enhancement so beloved by the Chinese and indeed a host of other Asiatics so as the already decimated tiger population in Thailand magically increases?

[TimCM]

Thailand help to save the tigers when money can be made by killing them

RIP tigers

[BSJ]

It's finally going to happen, Thailand will be a hub of something useful! "The genetics lab, if successful, could mark Thailand as a regional hub for tiger conservation"

[worgeordie]

There can only be a handful if Tigers left in Thailand,and they are

going to create a HUB,maybe they should get all those Tigers back

they exported to China,(if not already made into medicine) and set

them free in the remaining forests that are left.

regards Worgeordie

[SoilSpoil]

I hope Plodprasop won't read this article. I've heard he is in the exporting tigers business.

[wiki12]

Has the Mae Wong dam project been binned then? Local rumours are a family with its biggest names living abroad were involved to get their greedy hands on expensive timber.

[Krataiboy]

"The lab will help Thailand understand its tiger population"

What is there to understand? Thais are exterminating tigers by killing them for money.

Now they understand, perhaps they see sense and stop.

Oh, look - a pig just flew past the window.

[wilcopops]

Thailand is in trouble with CITES over the ivory trade and also in its lack of action on the animal trade in general.

Add to this the shameful accolade of presiding over the extinction of the Tiger and we are looking at serious loss of face.

Maybe someone somewhere in government will sit up and listen to Rabinowitz and the others.

The world is looking on and waiting for Thailand to face up to the problems and do something......and FAST!

BTW - Rabinowitz is the Godfather of Big cat conservation in Thailand, so maybe it's good to see the "big guns" are coming in.

Edited August 25, 2014 by wilcopops

[wilcopops]

"The lab will help Thailand understand its tiger population"

What is there to understand? Thais are exterminating tigers by killing them for money.

Now they understand, perhaps they see sense and stop.

Oh, look - a pig just flew past the window.

there seems to be a propensity on this forum to substitute knowledge of a topic with cynicism

[Briggsy]

What about Malaysia???

I read that the Dong Yen mountain range, Thailand's jewel in the crown of its National Parks system, is now the home of zero tigers.

Not sure this article is based in fact.

Edited August 25, 2014 by Briggsy

[Local Drunk]

Not as long as the TAT continues to persuade Chinese tourists to come to Thailand.

There isn't enough time left in existence of the world to logically teach them that eating tiger penis and shark fin soup does nothing for them.

Edited August 25, 2014 by Local Drunk

[Showbags]

4 tigers found in doggy bags recently in los....were they on the way to the genetics lab? ?..just more pie in the sky from the dreamers

[Local Drunk]

4 tigers found in doggy bags recently in los....were they on the way to the genetics lab? ?..just more pie in the sky from the dreamers

Got a link?

[Local Drunk]

Thailand is in trouble with CITES over the ivory trade and also in its lack of action on the animal trade in general.

Add to this the shameful accolade of presiding over the extinction of the Tiger and we are looking at serious loss of face.

Maybe someone somewhere in government will sit up and listen to Rabinowitz and the others.

The world is looking on and waiting for Thailand to face up to the problems and do something......and FAST!

BTW - Rabinowitz is the Godfather of Big cat conservation in Thailand, so maybe it's good to see the "big guns" are coming in.

Good post!... Problem is our voice here is but a fart in a thunderstorm.

[wilcopops]

Thailand is in trouble with CITES over the ivory trade and also in its lack of action on the animal trade in general.

Add to this the shameful accolade of presiding over the extinction of the Tiger and we are looking at serious loss of face.

Maybe someone somewhere in government will sit up and listen to Rabinowitz and the others.

The world is looking on and waiting for Thailand to face up to the problems and do something......and FAST!

BTW - Rabinowitz is the Godfather of Big cat conservation in Thailand, so maybe it's good to see the "big guns" are coming in.

Good post!... Problem is our voice here is but a fart in a thunderstorm.

actually I don't think that is a very good assessment of the situation.

The CITES treaty for instance is legally binding on its members and can impose sanctions on those who default. So the disadvantages of not complying are very real.

Thailand has virtually no animal welfare or protection laws itself, but does pay attention to its international reputation.

I think international wildlife pariah IS something that whatever their political persuasion, the Thai people are keen to avoid.

Edited August 25, 2014 by wilcopops

[wilcopops]

4 tigers found in doggy bags recently in los....were they on the way to the genetics lab? ?..just more pie in the sky from the dreamers

This is an issue for CITES. Te source of the Tigers is also relevant....were they from the wild or bred in Thailand or elsewhere? Do you have a reference for this?

[wilcopops]

Not as long as the TAT continues to persuade Chinese tourists to come to Thailand.

There isn't enough time left in existence of the world to logically teach them that eating tiger penis and shark fin soup does nothing for them.

Tourists themselves don't consume tiger parts in Thailand, it is organised crime that benefits from smuggling the parts to China and Vietnam.

Traditional Chinese medicine is a major factor in this, it more or less died out in China but was revived in the West and now is fashionable amongst the enormous bourgeoning Chinese middle classes..

Those who believe in this quackery are contributing directly to the plundering of are flora and fauns especially in S.E. Asia and Africa.

It is vital to educate people about this. ...but you just have to read the medical forum here to realise that it is not just the Chinese who are guilty of this ignorance.

[Local Drunk]

4 tigers found in doggy bags recently in los....were they on the way to the genetics lab? ?..just more pie in the sky from the dreamers

This is an issue for CITES. Te source of the Tigers is also relevant....were they from the wild or bred in Thailand or elsewhere? Do you have a reference for this

What I really want to see is tiger this penis eating or shark fin eating person saying to to either of the animals in the wild and saying I'm gonna have you for lunch cause I got this ivory handled knife that make me invincible!

If they can do that then... gobble it up.

[Showbags]

4 tigers found in doggy bags recently in los....were they on the way to the genetics lab? ?..just more pie in the sky from the dreamers

Got a link?

Tigers found in abandoned car Four, drugged young tigers found in Udon Thani Published: 21 May 2014 at 17.21 | Viewed: 4,148 | Comments: 3Online news: Local NewsWriter: Online Reporters Four live young... Please credit and share this article with others using this link:http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/411020/four-drugged-young-tigers-found-in-abandoned-car-in-thailand. View our policies at http://goo.gl/9HgTd and http://goo.gl/ou6Ip. © Post Publishing PCL. All rights reserved.

[wilcopops]

It is important is to know where they came from.