Out of all the organizations that try to help the enviornment, the World Wildlife Fund or WWF for short is without a doubt a world leader in its class.The goal of the WWF is to protect the enviornment aswell as the creatures that inhabit it from destructive forces of human activity.The current issue the WWF is tackling is the habitat destruction and illegal poaching of our most iconic animals on the planet: The Tiger.
Scientists agree tigers used to live in very healthy numbers across Asia and Russia, it is said that one hundred years ago there was an estimated 100 000 in the wild. However thier numbers have dropped significantly as a result of deforestation and poaching. These factors along the the rapidly growing economies of Asian countries now have left only 3,200 tigers living in the dissapearing forests of Asia. So, how is the WWF countering the threat to this great cat?
Famous movie star Leonardo DiCaprio is the frontman in the WWF push to help stablize the populations of 6 different species of tigers, all of which are endangered or critically endangered. DiCaprio has been able to use his media influence to get large companies like Apple and Kelloggs to donate heavily, DiCaprio himself has even raised $1million dollars toward conservation efforts. Unfortunately, National Governments have been slow to provide active funds for tiger conservation with only the U.S government pledging annual fund. With the limited resources and with the help of WWF, local authorities have placed very strict laws and punishments for those who are even caught on conservation lands and serious criminal offences for those caugh poaching. Training for rangers and managers of conservation lands have increased thier numbers and as a result the amount of poaching and illegal trade of tiger products has decreased. But underground crime still operates to gain tiger products that are in heavy demand in China and drastic deforestation rates are putting the tigers at risk of losing thier habitats. All is not lost however, the WWF is gathering many political leaders for a summit in St. Petersburg, hosted by Russian president Vladimir Putin, which runs from November 21st to 24th 2010 all with the same goal in mind: By 2022 the next year of the tiger, conservationists want to double the number of tigers found in the wild.The summit was a huge sucess and although there were different ideas on how to save the declining numbers of tigers, the WWF was given donations of up to $127 million dollars and the full support of 13 nations. This new found hope may turn the tide on the fight against the extinction of one of earth's most iconic and amazing creatures.http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Experts-Demand-in-China-fuels-tiger-poaching-826000.php
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/dicaprio-presses-apple-to-aid-wild-tigers/
http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/tiger-summit-what-will-it-take-to-save-iconic-cat-0747/
http://www.savetigersnow.org/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/19/AR2010111903652.html?referrer=delicious
http://www.worldwildlife.org/who/media/press/2010/WWFPresitem18615.html?intcmp=351
http://www.worldwildlife.org/who/media/press/2010/WWFPresitem18640.html?intcmp=354
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