Tigers

This report is the third in an annual series on emerging trends in China’s wildlife trade. that aim to highlight wildlife trade trends in threatened and at-risk wildlife, with an emphasis on the impact of China’s trade on globally important biodiversity “hotspots”. These hotspots have a crucial influence on the survival of endangered species, where conservation action to reduce wildlife trade threats can bring about the greatest benefit.

South-east Asia is both a centre for the consumption of wildlife products, and also a key supplier of wildlife products to the world. Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR and Vietnam are among the south-east Asian countries that act as major sources of wildlife in trade, the trade involving a wide variety of native species, which, in many cases, are declining as a result of unsustainable, and often illegal, harvest.

TRAFFIC's findings in this report provide strong evidence that China's trade ban has been effective at reducing the market for Tiger products, particularly traditional medicines. Still, illegal trade remains a threat. China's progress in Tiger conservation, especially Tiger trade, would almost certainly be undone if China's market for Tiger products were re-opened.