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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.
Unless re-routed,
the pipeline 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.
Russian schoolchildren take part in DSWF
Global Canvas Schools' art competition. Photo left is one of Alexander
Murzin one of the overseas winners in 2006. For details of the
latest competition please click
here...
For details of the DSWF Supported education
project in Siberia please click
here...
If you would
like to support the Siberia's Amur Tiger project please follow
the links below to make a donation or you can phone the Foundation
Office on 01483 272323.
Every little contribution helps wildlife
and remember 100% of your donation will go in full to the project - thank you!
You can also help by becoming a member
of DSWF. Click here for more information
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