Captive tiger cubs, including white tiger cubs, generate a large amount of revenue for the facilities that own them, and that funding often does not reach the field conservation projects they say that they support. Small tiger cubs are relatively easy to care for, but the constant stream of new cubs needed by many facilities for photo ops or cub handling for paying customers creates a bigger problem when they reach adulthood. Adult tigers are expensive to care for and require larger and more secure enclosures. To reduce their numbers, some captive facilities kill their tigers once they reach adulthood and sell their parts to supply the illegal tiger trade, making a profit for a second time.
The reality of the situation is that white tigers aren’t an endangered species, their white coat is simply the result of a genetic anomaly which doesn't require conservation. And as long as captive facilities continue to supply tigers, their parts and products into the illegal trade which fuels the demand for tiger products, wild tigers will always be at risk.
In the US, WWF is calling for more centralized oversight of the large captive tiger population to ensure they can’t supply the illegal trade. The Big Cat Public Safety Act has been introduced in both Houses of Congress and WWF is lobbying with an array of partners for its passage. In Asia, especially China, Laos, Thailand, and Viet Nam where over 8,000 tigers are estimated to be in captivity, WWF is calling on governments to commit to phasing out tiger farms and instituting clear bans on trade in tigers and their parts and products, from any source, wild or captive.
