Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and subsequent relaxation of border controls and opening trade routes, the Russian Far East has become a major source of illegal wildlife products to satisfy the consumer markets across the border, especially in China. By the winter of 1993, officials estimated that 60 tigers were being poached each year, and that numbers had crashed to fewer than 100, due to a loss of habitat, prey base and poaching.

DSWF immediately responded to an appeal and since 1994 has been jointly funding an anti-poaching unit called 'Inspection Tiger'. Rangers quickly discovered that criminals were determined and sophisticated, dealing in tiger bones alongside illegal timber and drugs. Collaboration with other wildlife law enforcement agencies became top priority as did relationships with the mass media and local people. Today, from its base in Vladivostok, 'Inspection Tiger', is widely recognised as a professionally trained and well equipped anti-poaching unit, made up of eight field teams who regularly patrol in Siberia's Amur tiger habitat of Primorye and South of Khabarovsky krai and investigate smuggling and conflict tiger cases. By the project's tenth anniversary, the wild tiger population had climbed back to a sustainable level of almost 450.

Reasons for DSWF support:

To save Siberia's Amur tigers and other critically endangered wildlife including the last 30 Amur leopards, from extinction. To educate communities and spread awareness of the value of the environment and their wildlife. 'Inspection Tiger's' work is only possible with financial help from foreign sponsors such as DSWF owing to lack of support from the Government and local authorities,

DSWF funds:

Working with other international NGO's in the AMUR Coalition, DSWF money is sent directly to Vladivostok-based NGO Phoenix and is reliably spent supplying anti-poaching operations with vital equipment such as snow mobiles, radios, jeeps, fuel and rations, paying informants, funding educational awareness programmes, community work, environmental workshops and training programmes. Most recently funds have been allocated to help Phoenix fight against the siting of the world's longest oil pipeline which, unless re-routed, will run through a critically important biosphere reserve in Siberia which is home to the last surviving 30 Amur leopards and some of the remaining Amur tigers, as well as countless other species of wild fauna and flora.

If you are interested in saving Siberia's Amur Tiger and Amur leopard, and helping DSWF stop the pipeline please follow the links below to make a donation or you can phone the Foundation Office on 01483 272323.