Insiders Series: Keeping Tigers Wild: Seeing Through the Bars of Captivity

Leigh Henry

Leigh Henry, Director, Wildlife Policy, Wildlife Conservation May, 2022

The illegal trade of tiger parts and products remains one of the greatest immediate threats to the survival of tigers in the wild. The high value placed on the species’ parts drives demand for poaching and illegal markets. The existence of tiger farms exacerbates the problem. More than 8,000 tigers are estimated to be in captivity across Asia and more than 5,000 are estimated to be in captivity in the US. These numbers far surpass the number of tigers living in the wild.

Watch the recording of this episode to hear Leigh Henry, Director, Wildlife Policy, Wildlife Conservation, discuss what WWF is doing to get the governments of China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam to phase out their country’s tiger farms and end the trade in tiger parts from any source. Leigh also explains what is being done here in the US to ensure captive tigers and their parts are not fueling the illegal wildlife trade and why passing the Big Cat Public Safety Act is crucial for the future of wild tigers.

Thank you for your interest in Insiders Series: Keeping Tigers Wild: Seeing Through the Bars of Captivity webinar and conference call. The event has ended. A recording of the live event will soon be available on our website.

For more information, visit https://www.worldwildlife.org/webinars/conservation-insiders-series.

Please contact WWF at [email protected] with any questions.