The Fund for the Tiger Annual Year End Newsletter December, 2006

Dear Online Friends:

Those of you who have followed our Newsletters know that the major focus of our efforts over the past 11 years have been to support the work of Wildlife Protection Society of India [WPSI] and its indefatigable leader Belinda Wright.  Belinda was featured prominently in a November 19^th 60 Minutes segment on the plight of India’s tigers.  I hope you were able to see it.
 

A year ago the Fund for The Tiger was pleased to wire funds to assist the WPSI’s wildlife crime awareness campaign within the Tibetan community in South Asia. The Tibetan connection to the wildlife crime trade became shockingly apparent when Belinda and investigators from the London based Environmental Investigative Agency visited China and Tibet in August of 2005.  They documented on a BBC special the extent of the current trade in endangered species.  Shops openly displayed tiger and leopard skins for sale.  Festivals featured teachers and school children wearing tiger and leopard skins as part of their colorful attire.  Investigations showed that the skins were new and came from India via Nepal.  At the January 2006 Tibetan Kalachakhra gathering, the Dalai Lama gave a speech exhorting his people to stop indulging in the illicit wildlife trade and to stop wearing the skins of endangered tigers and leopards.
 

The Tibetan Awareness Campaign turned out to be a major success.  By early February, reports started coming in that Tibetans were responding to the Dalai Lama’s plea by burning skins of endangered animals in a bid to preserve wildlife.

Beginning in April of this year, we increased our support to the WPSI to include two Tibetan field operatives working on wildlife crime workshops, wildlife awareness campaigns in Tibetan communities throughout India, and monitoring sensitive trade routes along the Indian Himalaya.  Recent reports indicate that sporatic burnings and ceremonies are continuing and that they are having great success with the educational campaigns.
 

We continue to support the comprehensive Poaching and Trade investigative project operating throughout India by the WPSI and for the past two years have funded a new program aimed at monitoring wildlife crime in Nepal and providing information to assist in arrests and enforcement efforts.  Our Summer 2006 Newsletter documents some significant arrests over the past year.  [You can access all of our Newsletters on our website at: thefundforthetiger.org]. 
 

Since 1998 we have supported the care of Sonakali, the elephant we donated to help patrol and protect Corbett Tiger Reserve in Northern India.  We also fund the patrols as supervised by Honorary Warden Brijendra Singh.
 

In 2001 we began the support of a permanent representative to be the ‘eyes and ears’ in and around the Bandhavgarh National Park area of Central India.
 

In spite of the years of political turmoil in Nepal we have continued to provide funds for anti-poaching patrols, information gathering and rewards for arrests of poachers in and around the Chitwan and Sukla Phanta tiger reserves of southern Nepal.  The tiger has come through these uncertain times relatively unscathed but the rhino continues to suffer grave losses.  Let’s hope the peace which has now come to Nepal will last, and that those committed to the protection and preservation of Nepal’s forests and jungles will be allowed to do so in peace.
 

We’ve increased our support for Bhim Gurung’s “tiger watchers” project which is now concentrating on the Madi Valley, buffer zones adjacent to Chitwan National Park, and the hills connecting India to the south.  We’ve provided motorbike support and the expenses for his two main trackers and this Fall provided 4 new sets of camera traps to monitor the tigers.

I will again be leading Mountain Travel Sobek’s ‘Save The Tiger’ trip from February 24 to March 10, 2007 to Bandhavgarh National Park in Central India and Royal Chitwan National Park in Nepal.  Contact me at any of the addresses on this letter if you are interested in riding elephants and jeeps in search of these magnificent animals up close and personal and meet those people working to save the tiger from extinction.  Or you may contact M.T.S. direct at 1 800 2828747.  A detailed itinerary with attached slide show of photos I have taken on the trip is on their website at www.mtsobek.com.
 

If you can assist is in our efforts to help the tiger and it’s habitat your contribution would be greatly appreciated.  Your donation is deductible for tax purposes within the limits of the law.

Warm regards and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Sincerely,

Brian K. Weirum
Chairman
The Fund For The Tiger

How to Help

If you can help in any way please send your contribution to The Fund For The Tiger at P. O. Box 2, Woodacre, California, 94973. Contributions are deductible for tax purposes within the limits of the law.

Page updated Wednesday December 12, 2007

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