Podcast The United States Has A Tiger Problem

There is a tiger problem in the USA.

There are more tigers in captivity in the US than exist in the wild. The number of American tigers lies somewhere between five and ten thousand. We don’t know the actual number because they mostly go unregulated. Sadly, most of these tigers live in cages in private homes, backyards, garages, or in cages in roadside zoos. Many of them are inbred, malnourished, and sick. There is absolutely no reason that this should be the fate of one of the most majestic creatures on the planet. How did this happen? And, why are we still allowing it?

Journalist and author, Sharon Guynup and photographer, Steve Winter spent two years investigating these questions for a story called, The Tiger Next Door, for December’s issue of National Geographic. If you haven’t read it, read it. Sharon’s story is astounding. It involves the criminal underworld, wildlife trafficking, murder, and thousands of captive tigers living sad pathetic lives all over the USA. America has a serious problem with captive wildlife, and what we’ve done to tigers is cruel, dangerous, and absolutely unnecessary.

Sharon is a hero for tigers. She has been reporting on them for years, mostly tigers in the wild, until 2016, when her investigation into the famed Thai Tiger Temple for National Geographic published strong allegations of illegal wildlife trade, causing Thai officials to confiscate the 147 tigers living at the temple and shut the operation down.

Sharon and I met in New York in December to talk about the two-year investigation that she and Steve Winter for this story. To hear her tell it is mind-blowing and absolutely devastating for anyone who cares about wild animals.

There are ways to combat this crisis right now. The first is to not participate in any wildlife tourism that includes selfies with wildlife or any type of handling of wild animals, and the second is to get behind and support The Big Cat Safety Act.

Thank you,
Elizabeth Novogratz

The above info and graphics on this page we received in an email announcing this podcast. We are posting this page because we would like to encourage you to listen to this podcast and then share the link with your friends and family.

HEAR the Podcast Now at https://www.speciesunite.com/s3-e6-sharonguynup and click the play button to hear this podcast. You can listen to this podcast from any computer or device.  It really is worth the time. After you do, PLEASE, bookmark it so you can share the link with all your friends and family and on your social pages such as Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, etc.

Also, be sure to make the Call of the wild, every week, at BigCatAct.com