Tigers and terrorism, believe it or not they're linked...

Just a very quick one for now, some gritty images and text coming in pre-monsoon reports shortly but first a big thanks for those who ordered "The Shirt".  Every cent counts in Nepal, we really appreciate the support. If you haven't yet check out the amazing work of Rabindra go to the short video here.

Believe it or not, tigers and terrorism are linked.  The events of yesterday in Baghdad and Boston led my train of thinking all over the place, like most people.  I ended up back at an item we posted at @WildTigerNews on Twitter, it was an article in The Times of India which started with:

"Conservationists and wildlife crime experts suspect that an international narcotics network working with militants and poachers, is behind the killing of rhinos at Kaziranga National Park and other protected areas in the state."

National Board of Wildlife member Bittu Sahgal went on to say: "There is no doubt about the involvement of a narcotics network in the illegal trade of rhino horns, ivories and other wildlife parts (read tigers) in the international market.  These wildlife parts are used to propagate narcotics trade as well as arms for militant groups."

Illegal wildlife trafficking has a history of funding terrorist and insurgency groups.  In the previous decade in Nepal, tiger and other wildlife populations were decimated during the civil war. In South America,  right this very second as you read this huge amounts of wildlife are being transported down the the Amazon under the control of organized crime groups with known terrorists links.  Drug cartels in that part of the world use endangered animals as currency.

Even if yesterday's Boston attack was by a lone wolf (I hate that expression in this case, it's an insult to wolves) the links between terrorism, drugs, arms, human trafficking, organized crime and illegal wildlife trade are seriously intertwined.

Sometimes I wonder how there are any tigers, rhinos, elephants, snow leopards etc left at all.  But there are. There is still plenty of hope there always will be.

Because we wont let the bastards win.

My condolences to all the innocents affected in yesterday's bomb blasts.  Kia Kaha Stay Strong.

Looking in the Right Direction...

There is a lot of care, concern and hope out there, it's just the methods that need changing...plus no small amount of truth.

There is every indication that wild tiger numbers globally are on the rise.  Various census are still being conducted but a recent WWF report indicated that numbers are closing in on 4000, a significant rise on the "official" figure of 3200 still bandied round by many government agencies, NGOs and media.  The International tiger Summit in St Petersburg in late 2010 ended with declarations of "let's double the numbers by the next Year of the Tiger in 2022." Two and half years later it would seem that target is realistic, at least approachable.

Of course, it's not all rosy, far from it.  Every week more poaching incidents are reported.  Seizures of tiger parts are so regular it always begs the question just how much trade is slipping through the net.  The trafficking of tiger parts is not at the same epidemic levels that have hit the rhino horn and ivory trades but the smaller population of the big cats compared to those two animals means any loss still makes an impact.  Other iconic wild cat species such as the lion, leopard and snow leopard are still  suffering the consequences of the illegal trade as well as the ongoing issues of human-wildlife conflict due mainly to habitat loss.

The whole situation raises several issues but two in particular occupy my thoughts.  The first is the realization that poaching and illegal wildlife trade will not stop.  Like the selling of illegal drugs and weapons as well as  human trafficking there is simply too much money to be made.  The illegal trade in parts of protected species is worth billions.  And more billions.  It involves criminal syndicates, corrupt officials, cultural myths and no small amount of apathy.  People die.  Poachers are shot dead as are forest guards.  Activists are also fair game to unscrupulous crime groups who will stop at nothing to make sure the trade continues unabated.  Like the war on drugs even the most brilliant strategies to combat the trade come unstuck when up against that basic human element, greed.

On the flip side there is also the fact that people do care.  Many people.  Millions of dollars have being pumped in, law enforcement has been stepped up, countless campaigns have been waged and the overall knowledge bank of understanding the drivers of illegal wildlife trade has certainly improved.  Social networking is playing a role in raising awareness and some big players such as former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian President Vladimir Putin have added what appears to be more than lip service to addressing the problem.  The celebrity ranks get busy with it as well with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Jackie Chan and Chinese basketball player of NBA fame Yao Ming all getting involved.

There's no doubt that all these factors are contributing to an increase in wild tiger numbers.  There is a spin off effect for other species as well as forest protection and illegal trade investigation are both stepped up.  There are still many battles to be won.  China, and they aren't the only one, still persist in allowing tiger farms and despite constant denial this allows tiger products onto the market thus keeping the trade alive.  This is still bad news for the wild population, a poacher's bullet or trap is a much cheaper commodity than feeding a tiger in a cage.  However, awareness in China is growing thanks to the use of people like Yao Ming so species such as the tiger, shark and many others while still under huge threat because of cultural traditions and a growing economy at least have voices on their behalf.

Then, right down at ground level, there is amazing support.  I'll be reporting soon on the current state of the tiger in Nepal and especially some the amazing initiatives such as unpaid planting of trees by community groups in wildlife corridors.  My own heart was gladdened when I posted on various forums that our online shop, JaiBagh, was reopening soon.  We advertised pre-orders of the embroidered tiger shirt and the response was fantastic.  The video of Rabindra creating a tiger freehand with a sewing machine is something to behold, you can see it in my previous post or at www.wildtger.org/jaibaghshop A huge thanks to all those who have pre-ordered and we'll have some other great gear online again soon.

People do care.  There is a lot of effort, especially by under resourced groups on the ground.  It's just that in other parts of the spectrum in the fight to protect endangered species and get balance for economically challenged people living in or near biodiversity hotspots we still have to get our methods right.  I think this was well summed up by Steve Galster of the anti-wildlife trade and human trafficking organization Freeland.  At the end of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) meeting in Bangkok last month Galster said "They are advocating for demand reduction on one hand, while discussing legalization of trade on the other. It's like putting water on one side of the fire of extinction, and gasoline on the other."

A friend of mine suggested that maybe CITES is a toothless tiger.  The argument is often put forward regarding CITES that these are the cards we have to play with.  My feeling is that if the cards aren't working for you then it is time to change the deck.

The hard work on the ground will continue but it must be supported by better policy.  So many of us care but there has to be more transparency, honesty and better practice for the recent progress in  tiger conservation and other species protection.  There is hope but there has to be more truth.  We all have to look at ourselves in the mirror on that one.

The World's coolest piece of clothing ... helping the Tiger, Wildlife, Habitat, People...

First post for a while, just been so busy but I'll have regular Jungle to the Sky updates soon.

In the meantime, the world's coolest piece of clothing is back!

Check this short video showing about how Rabindra created this amazing tiger for the first JaiBagh shirt.  The skill level is quite extraordinary and Rabindra had to beat a power cut to do it.  It was a great moment.

These shirts are part of a range of goods that will be coming out of Nepal later in April.  We believe in social entrepreneurship.  We don't accept donations but rather we get everyone involved and benefiting by selling meaningful products from Nepal.  The JaiBagh shirt is a classic, a really wonderful piece of clothing.

All profits go to equipment, training, illegal wildlife investigation and human/wildlife conflict training.

Enjoy the video and then go www.wildtiger.org/jaibaghshop to pre-order and jump the queue.

And don't forget you can join me in places like this...

But more on that soon ... cheers Jack