Endangered Tigers to Get $33 Million

Critically endangered Sumatran tigers will have a fund of $33 million set up for a project to attempt doubling their population by 2022. An official from the Indonesian National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) said the funding is coming from the Global Tiger Recovery Program, which was started by the World Bank.

The Forestry Minister said so far they have not focused enough on conservation of these tigers and they need to generate more of their own funding for it. He also said, “The total amount of CSR funding from companies in Indonesia is around Rp 20 trillion a year, so if we could just set aside Rp 1 trillion for tiger conservation, it would go a long way.” (Source: Jakarta Globe)

According to the World Wildlife Fund, there are less than 400 Sumatran tigers remaining in the wild, and their population is declining due to deforestation and poaching. In 1978 it was estimated there were about 1,000. They live only on Sumatra in mountain, lowland and swamp forests.

The Global Tiger Recovery Program is a comprehensive approach to planning for tiger conservation in all the countries where wild tigers live and for those nations to collaborate on saving their tigers by sharing information and working together. A core component of saving wild tigers and encouraging the large increase in their populations by 2022, is reducing poaching and illegal trade in their body parts.

Also palm oil production is causing deforestation and contributing to the loss of wildlife. Palm oil is in many consumer products such as chocolate, lipstick, body lotion and packaged foods. We can help Sumatran tigers and wildlife there such as orangutans, by being informed consumers and avoiding products containing palm oil.

Image Credit: Captain Herbert / Wiki Commons

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Chinmayee J.

8:08PM PST on Feb 19, 2012

Good to know, thanks for sharing! I don't think we could do enough for any of our wildlife so they definitely deserve all the funding and programs that we can get :)

send a green star

Eternal G.

6:14PM PST on Feb 7, 2012

Hopefully something constructive can be done with it!

Marieanne P.

2:27AM PST on Feb 5, 2012

What majestic animals they are. About time they funding is put up to save them. Fingers crossed.

Debbie C.

2:32AM PST on Feb 1, 2012

This is great news for the Sumatran tigers. I hope it works. 400 to start with is not a lot.

They will need stricter penalities for anyone who kills one of these tigers and they need to leave their area alone so they can multiply.

Jennifer V.

12:35PM PST on Jan 30, 2012

thanks

Shin T.

11:42PM PST on Jan 29, 2012

It is very good news for very critical project which could save the Sumatra Tigers.Cheers

Carrie Anne B.

8:18AM PST on Jan 28, 2012

Great news :) thanks for sharing

Sue H.

10:48AM PST on Jan 23, 2012

wonderful news

Linda J.

8:19AM PST on Jan 23, 2012

Some good news - lets hope it will put a stop to potchers once and for all, but I fear not!

mari s.

3:15PM PST on Jan 21, 2012

Great news! If they weren't murdered along with their habitats in the first place, we would not be in this position. Thankfully, there are good and smart people who know the importance of the tigers, the huge and beautiful forests along with all the other wild animals that live there such as the orangutans.