International bodies express concern about SA’s tiger trade

There is no such thing as the responsible breeding of tigers in South Africa, according to MJ Lourens, head of communication for South Africa at the international Four Paws Animal Welfare Foundation.

He said tigers were not indigenous to the country and were also not properly protected. “In South Africa, tigers are almost inevitably sold for their body parts.”

The country director for Four Paws South Africa, Fiona Miles, added that the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) recently raised concerns about South Africa’s involvement in the trade of tigers and tiger products. Concern was expressed that there was little or no monitoring of the breeding facilities that were exporting tigers from South Africa, with some farms implicated in selling tigers and tiger parts to Asia without the necessary export permits.

“Tigers have almost no protection in South Africa, which is why it’s not uncommon to hear that they are kept in the backyards of private owners. Due to this lack of protection the problem will remain, and the country will continue to contribute to the illegal trade in wild animals without facing any real consequences,” she said.

According to CITES, South Africa exported over 200 live captive-bred tigers, mostly to Asia and the Middle East, during the past five years. These figures excluded the dozens of tiger trophies, bones, claws and skulls exported during the same period. Tiger bones were boiled down until they formed a glue-like substance, which was then dried in blocks, from which shavings were mixed with wine.

Vermeulen said Four Paws did not have the exact figure for the number of tigers currently in South Africa. The CITES secretariat had earlier issued a notification to the South African Department of Environmental Affairs to provide the necessary information with regard to the number of tigers and the number of facilities breeding tigers in South Africa, he said. “There has been no indication when this will happen.” – Annelie Coleman

Four Paws ABOVE: Many captive-bred tigers end up in petting zoos and circuses, or are slaughtered and processed for traditional Chinese medicine.