Saving Wild Tigers from Extinction

From Russia with Love
Saving Wild Tigers from Extinction
UK Tiger Summit. December 7th Royal
Geographical Society, London

Following hard on the heels of the internationally acclaimed International Tiger
Forum, convened by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg (21st –
24th November), three leading UK charities announce the UK’s Save Wild Tigers
Summit at the Royal Geographical Society, London, on 7th December 2010

No one denies that wild tigers are facing a crisis. With just 3,200 individuals left,
the big question is – can they be saved from extinction? But the other question
on many people’s lips is: “Does the UK government care?”

“It was more than a little embarrassing to be in St Petersburg just a week ago
striving to secure the survival of one of the world’s most iconic species, a species
historically linked with Great Britain, to be listening to presentations from countries
as diverse as Russia, India, US (which has no wild tigers), Iran (which has no wild
tigers) , Germany (which has no wild tigers) and more – and yet to find that Her
Majesty’s Government was absent.” said Will Travers, CEO of Born Free
Foundation.

Invitations to Caroline Spelman MP, Secretary of State for the Environment and
Oliver Letwin MP, Minister of State for Policy, have been sent to Defra (the
Department of Environment and Rural Affairs), urging high-level representation at
the UK Tiger Summit this coming Tuesday.

“The UK can offer a lot of in-kind support for tiger conservation through the
exchange of enforcement skills and training.” said Debbie Banks, lead
campaigner for the Environmental Investigation Agency. “The Metropolitan
Police Wildlife Crime Unit and the National Wildlife Crime Unit have enormous
experience in terms of devising strategies and operations at the national and
international level. Of course, it presupposes that the UK government will continue
to fund them so that the UK can deliver a meaningful contribution to tiger
protection and other wildlife crime enforcement”

The UK Tiger Summitll feature presentations from leading figures from the three
charities and will be chaired by the UK’s top TV investigative journalist, Donal
MacIntyre. It will also be attended by a number of well-known conservationists
including Bill Oddie OBE, Virginia McKenna OBE, and Rula Lenska. The event is
hosted by Asia House.

“It is bizarre. The UK has attended, participated in and indeed, been an important
player in international tiger conservation work and the development of plans to
save wild tigers in the past and so I was bemused by their absence last week
when, quite clearly, the St Petersburg meeting was a defining moment in
worldwide conservation efforts for wild tigers” said Steve Trent, President of
WildAid.

Tickets for the UK Tiger Summit cost £12 (£10 concession) and can be
obtained through the Born Free Foundation's website
www.bornfree.org.uk or by calling Born Free’s office 01403 240170.

FOR ALL PRESS ENQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT BORN FREE'S PR DEPARTMENT:

Shirley Galligan, PR Director T: 0207 792 9668 M: 07773 848352
Kate Chapman, PR Officer T: 01403 240170 M: 07920 195512

The Born Free Foundation is a dynamic international wildlife charity, devoted to
compassionate conservation and animal welfare. Born Free takes action worldwide to
protect threatened species and stop individual animal suffering. Born Free believes wildlife
belongs in the wild and works to phase out zoos. We rescue animals from lives of misery
in tiny cages and give them lifetime care.

Born Free protects lions, elephants, tigers, gorillas, wolves, polar bears, dolphins, marine
turtles and many more species in their natural habitat, working with local communities to
help people and wildlife live together without conflict. Our high-profile campaigns change
public attitudes, persuade decision-makers and get results. Every year, Born Free helps
hundreds of thousands of animals worldwide. For more information about Born Free please
visit: www.bornfree.org.uk

Tickets for the Forum can be purchased through Asia House: Telephone: 020 7307 5454
Email: enquiries@asiahouse.co.uk

Image 1 © Chris Wright / BFF:”Bowed and butchered – a wild-born Bengal tiger mutilated

Image 2 © Michael Vickers www.tigersintheforest.com: “Bold, forward-thinking is needed

at next week’s International Tiger Forum”

For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL  33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457
Carole.Baskin@BigCatRescue.org
http://www.BigCatRescue.org

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