Tiger

Given that the vast majority of U.S. captive tiger reside in private hands (individual or other), and that many of these cats reside in states that do not have laws or regulations requiring close monitoring to scrutiny, it proves impossible to account for all captive tigers in the country. Furthermore, there is no comprehensive legislative or regulatory system in existence at the federal or state level to document how many tigers are being bred or born each year, how many may die (naturally or otherwise), or what happens to tigers or their parts when the animals do perish.

WWF is working on the federal level to:

1. Rescind exceptions to laws that exempt certain categories of captive U.S. tigers from regulation. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) should issue new regulations removing the exemption for “generic” tigers under the agency’s Captive-Bred Wildlife (CBW) Registration system. Most tigers in the United States are generic or cross-bred, and thus exempt from the CBW registration system. Rescinding the exemption would require that many more persons and facilities holding captive tigers would have to annually report their year-end inventory of tigers and activities conducted with the cats, thereby exponentially adding to current knowledge of the U.S. captive tiger population.
2. Demand that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) – through the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) – require all persons or facilities holding USDA licenses for exhibition or breeding/dealing in tigers report annually on the number of tigers held, births, mortality, transfer, or sale. This information should be kept in a distinct database and made available for public review.