Big Cat Rescue’s Involvement in ITC Saving Wild Tigers
11/5/09 we were drafting an answer to this question:
Here is the question again: How can China's farms be phased out in terms of the animals and facilities themselves, as well as compensation for the owners of the farms?
Assessment and Preparation of a Plan for each facility
Assessment of existing management regime
THE most important thing to do is stop the breeding. Neutering all of the males is quick and cheap. That can be done in just a few minutes by our vet and the biggest cost is the sedation. There is just an overwhelming temptation, from what I see in pseudo sanctuaries, to allow "accidental" breedings so that they have cubs to attract the public. Mandatory castration of existing males and neutering all new cubs at a few weeks of age, will stop the increase of tigers in cages.
On 11/6/09 I reported this success from the ITC conference call: Resulting from today's call below. Summary is that we can petition the USFWS to rescind their "generic tiger" exception, so that all tigers have to be approved for breeding and use based upon how that use enhances wild populations. Just rescinding would be very easy, but we also want tougher restrictions on what constitutes enhancement of wild populations and more record keeping and transparency.
12/2/09 we were emailing w/ Judy Mills and IFAW to try and garner votes for the Chase contest which would end up funding ITC for a while.
12/8/09 Leigh Henry, of WWF reported, “things are moving quickly here at WWF on the US tiger issue. It has caught the attention of our leadership team as something we can do as WWFUS in the US for the Year of the Tiger. Our new Sr. VP for Communications seems likely to throw resources behind the effort.” And “News on the FWS front is that, after a successful WWF meeting with Dan Ashe, they have removal of the generic tiger exemption from the CBW permit system slated for the Fed Reg in the first quarter of 2010. “
At the state level we were trying to come up with the Top 5 worst states in regards to captive tigers and I suggested, “If you can only have 5, I would trade SC for NC as that is where T.I.G.E.R.S. is based (and FL) so it would stop the nations largest tiger dealer from being able to move cats back and forth across state lines and having them disappear in his other home state.
This is my opinion: The way it works is he says he is sending tigers from his FL facility to SC but no one in SC would ever know or care if they actually arrived, and visa versa. As long as he doesn't openly transfer them with a paper trail to someone else, USDA is clueless as to where the cats are.”
2/25/10 With the wins from the Chase contest Judy posted: “The ITC booth at the CITES CoP, generously sponsored by Big Cat Rescue, will be #R3, located in the foyer of the Sheraton Conference Center. The booth will feature ITC information materials, a continuous feed of ITC videos and tiger-striped giveaways (such as lanyards from which to hang CoP15 identification badges).”
3/12/10 Judy reported from the CITES meeting in Doha, “The ITC booth opened for business today, and delegates, observers and even CITES Secretariat staff already are wearing their CoP15 identification badges on our tiger-striped lanyards. “
3/13/10 The Peninsula reported, “Over 1,500 delegates representing more than 170 governments, indigenous people, non-governmental organizations and businesses are attending the world conference.”
3/23/13 Judy reported to the ITC, “We had confirmation in this morning’s CoP15 Committee II that the following three Decisions will be retained for at least more three years, until CoP16:… 14.69 Parties with intensive operations breeding tigers on a commercial scale shall implement measures to restrict the captive population to a level supportive only to conserving wild tigers; tigers should not be bred for trade in their parts and derivatives.”
3/29/10 Judy reported, “How this played out for tigers”. While the EU’s proposal to strengthen the ABC resolution came at the request of the Standing Committee, this fact was lost on the CoP. Because the proposal did not have a range-state co-proponent, China and its allies easily convinced tiger range countries (TRCs) and the CoP that the proposal was being imposed on Asia by the West. China opposed the proposal outright, saying it preferred the voluntary Hua Hin Declaration on Tiger Conservation to a strengthened CITES resolution on ABCs (which included an option for using compliance measures to inspire implementation). India and other TRCs intervened to support China in opposing the EU proposal, citing issues of sovereignty and making commitments to work regionally and bilaterally to stop illegal tiger trade. Fortunately, India and some other TRCs were married to keeping Decision 14.69 against tiger farming in place. Thanks to a great deal of behind-the-scenes effort by India, the UK, the CITES Secretariat, ITC members and others, the decision endured.
Highlight: The ITC booth was a big success. It was in a great location, looked inviting, offered a lot on materials of interest to CITES Parties, and attracted many, many delegates, giving us priceless opportunities to relay our messaging and help Parties understand our concerns. WildAid demand-reduction PSAs were a big draw, as were the many tiger-striped souvenirs we gave away. Big Cat Rescue deserves our collective thanks for making the booth possible. “
4/26/10 The USFWS announces their intention to remove the generic tiger loophole.
http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201004&RIN=1018-AW81
6/23/10 Lion burgers served at World Cup.
8/12/10 Carole reported to Judy on the 90-Day Finding on a Petition to Delist the Tiger (STATUS REVIEW NOT INITIATED) http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-19895.htm
Carole stated, “I may be not understanding this, but looks to me like someone asked to delist the tiger and (although it took them 5 years to figure it out) the USFWS decided that delisting the tiger wasn't warranted. Duh. I really hope they don't take that long to jerk around on rescinding the generic tiger loophole.”
10/22/10 Leigh Henry reported on the WWF and CEQ Tiger Summit Meeting, “ASK – Regulate US Captive Tigers to Ensure They Can’t Enter Illegal Trade (Leigh)
• US captive tigers linked to international trade issue
• Discuss trade threats & need to ensure US tigers not contributing to illegal trade
• (background on TCM, wild preference, removal of tigers from official pharmacopeia, etc.)
• US tigers – 5,000 (compared to 3,200 in wild), many unwanted, poorly regulated = opportunity
• Mention FWS and APHIS recommendations, as well as ask for federal legislation to require an overarching tiger registry
• Not just trade threat, but political issue as well – US needs to clean up own backyard to maintain leadership on tiger conservation (CITES Resolution applicable – US noncompliant); mention of China tiger farms and how China points finger at US when asked close farms
• Priority – USFWS needs to publish proposed rule in Fed Reg to remove generic tiger exemption BEFORE Summit
• Priority – US should create, either under existing or new law, a central reporting system and database for all captive tigers in the US, without exception.”
To which Carole responded, “Thank you for such a clear summary and especially for so much focus on ending the captive trade that provides the legal cover for illegal activity.”
11/9/10 Carole responded to Judy’s report US State Department Meeting for NGOs in Advance of the International Tiger Forum in Russia, 9 November 2010 by saying, “Thank you so much for the detailed notes. It was almost as good as being there. I take it that USFWS is still sitting on their hands about rescinding the generic tiger loophole for breeders in the U.S.?”
11/9/10 Judy proposed a pre-summit statement along with Colman O’Criodain , Debbie Banks, Grace Gabriel and Kristin Nowell, but Carole suggested this edit, “You guys know a lot more about this than I do, but I feel compelled to ask.
I wonder if rewording this:
We stand ready to assist and support tiger range countries in developing and implementing strategies that ensure an end to all trade in tiger parts and derivatives.
to this:
We stand ready to assist and support tiger range countries in developing and implementing strategies that ensure an end to all commercial tiger trade.
might be more effective? I don't know how AZA zoos go about "trading" tigers, but am guessing they don't buy or sell them. Since it is very hard to catch people with the parts and derivatives, but easy to catch them with live tigers, then maybe the way to end the trade is to call it "commercial trade" rather than focus on the dead cats. This could help us crack down on all of the breeding for the illegal trade that is being masked by the legal trade.”
Carole’s language was rejected, but she kept trying.
11/4/10 Responding to Judy’s email sending out a news story where India was claiming to be a “founding member of the Global Tiger Initiative” after all of the Indian NGOs pulled out in protest of inclusion of the World Bank, Carole reported, “Great call in this morning and so happy to have you back. I had to leave by 9:46 and you were just starting to get some consensus on the message. Looking forward to the minutes.
Will be on Headline News next Friday (not tomorrow) w/ Jane Velez-Mitchell discussing Tony the Truck Stop Tiger and she has another guest, Jane Garrison from LA who will be talking about the Tiger Temple debacle. “
11/19/10 the final statement by the ITC for the summit was not worded as strongly to protect live tigers as Carole would have liked, but was, “We endorse the stated goal of strengthening the
effectiveness of existing tiger-trade bans, with an aim of eradicating all trade in all tiger parts, products and derivatives. This is critical to the achievement of doubling tiger numbers by 2022.” Which at least opened the door to cover live tiger trading.
1/20/11 The Telegraph reports, “China has banned animal circuses and warned its zoos they must stop abusing animals or face closure. The ban will also force zoos to stop selling animal parts in their shops and zoo restaurants will have to stop serving dishes made out of rare animals, another widespread practice.
Similarly, zoos will no longer be able to pull the teeth of baby tigers so that tourists can hold them and will have to stop attractions where live chickens, goats, cows and even horses are sold to visitors who can then watch them be torn apart by big cats. …the Chinese government has now issued a total ban, which came into force on Tuesday across the 300 state-owned zoos which are part of the China Zoo Association.”
2/25/11 ThaiVisa.com reported that 6 tiger cubs were seized in a raid of a weapon’s dealer and that, “tigers can fetch $30,000 on the black market and despite their endangered status continue to be purchased for their bones and organs used in medicines, while their skins are prized as trophies and ornaments.”
7/28/12 Introduced Judy Mills to Bryan Christy who wrote, The Lizard King.
2/25/12 We offered to help support EIA’s efforts for tigers at the upcoming CITES meeting, but they never got back to us with a specific way to help or amount.
3/28/13 Judy wrote to IFAW, Howard and Carole, “I recently returned from nearly three weeks in Bangkok for the CITES CoP. Several countries, including China, brought up US tigers as a “domestic trade” problem equal to or greater than China’s tiger farms. One does have to appreciate that at least China knows where its captive tigers are! But this remains a huge red-herring tit-for-tat reason for China to ignore the CITES decision that says tiger farms should be phased out.
What transpired in Bangkok was alarming on several fronts. For tigers, the most significant was China and South Africa working toward legalizing rhino-horn trade, which would require China to lift its 1993 ban on trade in tiger bone and rhino horn, opening a Pandora’s box of demand for the bones of wild tigers. But I do not write today about tiger farms. I write to you seeking an update on US tigers, as I would like to close my book with an update on what good news may be unfolding. (FYI, there is very good news coming out of China, too, just not from the CITES meeting.)
I was interested to read in this morning’s New York Times about the continuing battle to retire Tony the Tiger from his truck-stop home in Grosse Tete, Louisiana (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/28/us/truck-stop-tiger-in-louisiana-stirs-legal-battle.html?ref=todayspaper). Any chance he will be living out his final years at Big Cat Rescue?
Specifically, I write to ask for updates on the current status of:
US legislation to register, monitor and perhaps reduce the population of captive tigers in the United States.
The current status of The Baskins v. Joe Schreibvogel and Joe V. Baskins.
The current status of Louisiana’s Tony the Tiger. (Will he retire at BCR?)
Thank you in advance for your time. All my best, Judy”
Howard responded, “The federal bill is stronger than "register, monitor, perhaps reduce." The bill would ban breeding and possession, grandfathering in the current population who would die out, with few exceptions. Tracy is the best source for latest. Since the congress ended Dec 31, the bill died and Tracy is working on reintroducing it, along with some amendments. “
Carole responded, “The only way we would end up with Tony is if the state or USDA seized him. That is how we initially became involved in 2009. The Louisiana Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries had cited Sandlin and called me to come get Tony. Sandlin got an injunction to stop us, so we hired an attorney for Tony. After we exhausted the county issue of Sandlin having the tigers illegally since 1993 with the county making a retroactive exception for Sandlin, we didn't think there was any more we could do, but the ALDF then took up the case and remains in court to this day.
Michael Sandlin has said that "Hell will freeze over before he would send Tony to Big Cat Rescue." When I spoke with the NYT reporter, he said Sandlin told him that if he sent Tony anywhere, it would be to Joe Schreibvogel. I told the reporter that as bad as I thought that was for Tony, it was still better than being at a Truck Stop. The only thing the reporter wanted to ask me about was whether or not Tony's cage was a sufficient size. I told him that our efforts to remove Tony were not based on the cage size, but the fact that the tiger was suffering the continuous harassment of motorists, their dogs and the noise and fumes of a 24 hour truck stop.”
12/19/13, Sadly, Poaching of tigers in 2013 has been the highest in the past seven years, data compiled by the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) shows. The seizure of two more tiger skins from Bijrani area of Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand on Monday has taken this year's figure to 39 as against 31 last year.
While the total number of tiger deaths at 76 is less compared to last year's 89, the number of poaching cases has shot up much to the dismay of conservationists. “
Hi, I’m Carole Baskin and I’ve been writing my story since I was able to write, but when the media goes to share it, they only choose the parts that fit their idea of what will generate views. If I'm going to share my story, it should be the whole story. The titles are the dates things happened. If you have any interest in who I really am please start at the beginning of this playlist: http://savethecats.org/
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