Russia Hosts Summit to Save Tiger

Fewer than 5000 wild tigers roam Asia’s shrinking wilderness, but the large, powerful cats inspire awe around the globe. Russia hosted a conference of 13 nations to plan raising hundreds of millions for establishing preserves and protecting the remaining animals. The Global Tiger Initiative, launched by World Bank President Robert Zoellick, states that the tiger’s extinction would represent "historic, cultural, spiritual, and environmental catastrophe," reports Al Jazeera. Loss of habitat, expanding human population, deforestation, poaching and traditional reliance on tiger body parts for medicinal purposes all contribute to the animal’s decline. Bringing China, Bangladesh and India – nations where the tiger still roams – on board is essential for the project’s success, the article reports, and all three nations sent representatives to the meeting. – YaleGlobal

Russia Hosts Summit to Save Tiger

Conservation groups say big cats could be extinct by 2022
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
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