The Vietnam News reported that the latest government figures suggest that only around 100 tigers survive in the wild in the country, down from over 300 just a decade ago.
This is despite the fact that tigers have been listed in Vietnam’s Red Book of Endangered Species for some years.
According to the report, this has done little to curb the illegal killings of the animals. It pointed to the fact that “tiger skins, teeth and bones can be readily purchased in major cities”.
What’s more, it appears smugglers are getting bolder. Last year, police seized two live tigers in the city of Ha Noi. One official explained to the paper: “This was the first time that live tigers were smuggled through an urban area. It indicates that the perpetrators knew what they were doing and had done it before.”
Finally, the report warned that there has been an alarming rise in illegal tiger breeding across Vietnam.
Some reports estimate that fewer than 2,500 tigers survive in the wild across the whole globe.
Dee
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