In the last two years, skin seizures in India , Nepal and China indicate that another 221 tigers were poached. The Customs authorities multiply known offences by ten to estimate the size of an illegal trade
Ashok Kumar, TIGER CHRONICLES : Our findings revealed a hitherto unknown scale of trade in Asian big cat skins that were being traded and worn as status symbols in Tibet. Our investigations were compiled in a report – “Skinning the Cat: Crime and Politics of the Big Cat Skin Trade”.
A survey of India’s tiger population, also known as Royal Bengal tigers, could be as low as 1,500 and they could be wiped out in 10 years.
“This is an extremely worrying development,” said Ashok Kumar of the Wildlife Trust of India. “We’re afraid that the poachers will now move on (from depleted areas) to the other, better-known reserves where tigers are still doing well. There’s complete inaction at government level.”
The tiger population in India was believed to be about 3,500 officially; however, it could be as low as 1,500, Wildlife Trust figures show.
The tiger poaching is being driven by the increased demand for tiger skins in Tibet used in traditional garments worn to weddings, horse festivals and at the New Year, the Sunday Telegraph reported.
“A villager can earn as much in one night from poisoning and skinning a tiger as he could earn from farming in five years,” said Kumar. “Eventually, that skin can sell for up to $6,000 dollars in Lhasa.”
Tiger and Leopard chupas – a fashion statement
In 2005 the investigators of Environmental Investigation Agency and Wildlife protection Society of India together documented 160 whole leopard skins, for sale in Linxia, with three large stocks of 36, 33 and 28 held by separate traders. In a seizure in India in 2005 60 kilograms of leopard and tiger paws were recovered alongwith skins of leopards, tigers, otters, and snow leopard at a warehouse used by the clique of Sansar Chand.
In August 2005, chupas made of 24 tiger skins, 54 leopard skins, and over 300 otter skins (chupas are traditional vest coats worn by Tibetans) were openly displayed for sale on mannequins in shop windows in Lhasa, according to the shocking report of WPSI – Skinning the Cat. Chupas had became a fashion statement with leopard and tiger skin varieties fetching the highest amounts among the Chinese/Tibetan Nouveau riche.
A 100-tiger skin tent was on grand display at the Litang horse festival in August 2006, and was burnt by Chinese officials eager to show Tibetans in bad light.
Also see: http://www.wpsi-india.org/wpsi/index.php
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