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| Michelle Riley/The HSUS |
| Ford and Zoellick with HSI tiger kids. |
By Kristen Everett
Seventeen kids decorated posters, wore their tiger ear headbands and made clay tigers outside the tiger exhibit at the National Zoo Monday in sweltering heat.
But this wasn’t the only celebration of tigers that day. Celebrities Harrison Ford, Robert Duvall and Bo Derek, ambassadors from about 15 tiger-inhabited countries, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, senators, leaders from the World Bank, scientists, conservationists and animal protectionists joined together to announce that they will work together to reverse the decline of wild tigers. The launch of the World Bank’s Tiger Conservation Initiative was co-hosted by the International Tiger Coalition, a force of 39 entities to help curtail the declining wild tiger population. Humane Society International is a member organization.
HSI President Patricia Forkan visited with the kids and dignitaries and also with cartoonist and HSUS board member Patrick McDonnell. “Humane Society International is hoping this will be a watershed event in the tiger conservation movement. It’s a really big deal for the World Bank to emphasize an animal as part of their portfolio,” said Forkan.
Tigers in Trouble
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| Michelle Riley/The HSUS |
| Sec. of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne examines a drawing. |
Tiger populations have dropped from 100,000 to 4,000 in the last century because of declining habitat, not enough prey and humans hunting them to sell their parts for traditional medicines. “Even the best science will not save tigers. . . tiger populations are at a tipping point. With the World Bank Tiger Conservation Initiative launching today, wild tigers now have a chance,” said John Seidensticker, Ph.D, a biologist at Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park. “A world without tigers would be a world without hope, or like a clear night sky without stars,” he said.
Tigers are at the top of the food chain, so they are good indicators of the overall health of an ecosystem. They need to eat 75 pounds a meat a day but shrinking habitat and lack of prey are diminishing their survival.
Leaders Speak Out
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| Michelle Riley/The HSUS |
| World Bank president Zoellick views artwork. |
“We need to make sure that in the future, tigers are not only found in zoos,” said Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank, an organization that has the power to convene many countries. “Those who live with tigers will determine the fate of tigers,” he said. “They must be seen as more valuable alive than dead.” Zoellick said this effort requires an alliance of strong local commitment backed by deep international support.
Ford, who is on the board of directors of Conservation International, another member of the International Tiger Coalition, also said a few words. ”In order to save the tiger, we must of course secure the critical reserves of biodiversity where they live. This is as well the home to indigenous people there rely on nature for shelter and sustenance. I’ve been on board of Conservation International for 15 years and I have seen how conservation outcomes are scaled up when dedicated people from a variety of different sectors work together to pool their talents and their influence…,” Ford said.
Up to the Children
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| Michelle Riley/The HSUS |
| Indiana Jones and the next generation. |
Realizing the future of wild tigers ultimately lies in little hands, Ford and Zoellick visited with the HSI Tiger Kids after the announcement. "It's wonderful to see the Tiger Kids taking part in the launch of our Tiger Initiative," said Zoellick. "They are an important reminder of how critical it is to the future of wild tigers that the next generation appreciates their value and significance in protecting biodiversity."
Ford was kind enough to sign a Star Wars book and take photos with fans and even sat down and gently explained why tigers are important to one 5-year-old girl. She wanted to tell him she thought he was brave to be in a pit of snakes in the Indiana Jones movies but forgot what she was going to say because of all the camera flashes around them.
She did manage, “We need to save tigers. They are pretty.”
If this initiative meets its goals, the pretty tigers will be alive for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren to appreciate.
Kristen Everett is a Public Relations Manager for HSI and The HSUS.
