The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has introduced a new project for tiger conservation called Tiger Futures. The WCS will be helped by World Bank and Global Environment Facility (GEF) and about 2.8 million dollars will be invested to make the project successful. The new tiger conservation project will provide initial support and early action under the Global Tiger Initiative.

 

The Global Tiger Initiative (GTI) introduced by the president of the World Bank Group, Robert B. Zoellick, includes plans to support country dialogues in tiger range states. Under GTI, Tiger Futures will strengthen efforts to reduce poaching and illegal trade. It will also take steps to formulate new funding mechanisms for conservation efforts.

 

The project aims to bring together all tiger range states in high-level discussions for tiger conservation. It will alos include participation of other conservation organizations like TRAFFIC, WWF, and IUCN. The Tiger Futures project will work with local governments in China and Vietnam to reduce illegal wildlife trade. The trade of wild animals has evolved out as one of the major threats to the population of tigers.

According to WCS President and CEO Dr Steven Sanderson, the partnership with World Bank, GEF, and the conservation community will help to curb the dwindling population of tigers.