Unwind

Trafficking: The alarming rate of tiger seizures

Updated : August 26, 2019 10:20 AM IST

A new report by wildlife trade experts Traffic has put hard figures to the scale of the global trade in tigers. While still considered underestimates, 2,361 tigers, alive or dead, were seized by authorities across 32 countries and territories from 2000 to 2018. As our infographic shows, there is no clear trend, downward or upward, however, 2016 saw a peak for the period of 288 tigers. The animals are not always found the whole (29 percent) but most commonly just their skin (40 percent) or other parts, including bones (27 percent).

The most seizures were conducted in India (463) which uncovered evidence of a total of 625 individual tigers being smuggled. Commenting on the findings, Kanitha Krishnasamy, TRAFFIC’s Director for Southeast Asia said: “This pernicious trafficking—evidenced by the continuously high number of whole skins, whole animals—both dead and alive—and bones is a testament to the ongoing demand for Tiger parts. The time for talking is over: words must be turned into action to prevent further Tiger loss.”

Source: Statista

Have you signed up for Primo, our daily newsletter?

It has all the stories and data on the market, business, economy and tech that you need to know.

To keep watching CNBC-TV18, India's No. 1 English Business News Channel, call your Cable or DTH Operator and subscribe now for just Rs. 4 per month. You can also subscribe to CNBC-TV18 Prime HD for Re 1/- per month.Find out more