The Hunt for the Tiger Slayers video

The Wildlife Conservation Society has release a short video on the current status of the tiger poaching issue in Asia. This video gives an insight on poachers' techniques, how we are battling them and what the future holds. See how a mobile phone helps convict some alleged poachers.

Something New Zealand needs to give a sh*t about

Asia Pulp and Paper, also known as APP and based in Singapore, is one of the largest pulp and paper companies in the world. They produce paper and paper products in Indonesia, China, and India. A visit to their website http://www.asiapulppaper.com/ shows a green forest with sounds of wind blowing and birds singing with a slogan of "We support actions for economic, social and environmental sustainability". The soundtrack is quite soothing actually, I've been chilling out to it for about 45 minutes now. However looking through the rest of their site doesn't bring results as relaxing. Under the "Sustainability & CSR" section you find their sustainability reports. Interestingly the last one for Indonesia is from 2007  and they show none for China or India.

Recent Greenpeace investigations have shown APP to be involved in widespread rainforest clearance in Indonesia. Although APP deny these allegations, forensic testing of their products revealed the presence of mixed hardwood rainforest timber in some products. To see the full story of the investigation, please visit: http://www.greenpeace.org/new-zealand/en/news/blog/barbie-and-the-bog-roll-the-rainforest-connec/blog/37206/. It just so happens that APP owns a popular toilet paper brand called Cottonsoft sold at major New Zealand supermarkets including Progressives and Foodstuffs.

Greenpeace is now campaigning to have Cottonsoft taken off the shelves of the supermarket giants. Since the campaign started The Warehouse (similar to Wal-Mart in the USA) has suspended orders and Foodstuffs have ordered an independent audit of Cottonsoft's supply chain.

You can continue to help Greenpeace put pressure on the supermarkets by visiting this page: http://www.greenpeace.org/new-zealand/en/take-action/Take-action-online/Cotton-Soft/

Check out this video showing the impact of the Endangered Sumatran tigers of which less than 400 still live in these forests. Consider that even if a company is to replant trees later, the act of deforestation disrupts tigers and other wildlife's territories and general wellbeing.

Did you save the Tiger?

Arguably one of the world's most beautiful animals is the tiger. Can you recall the last time you saw a tiger, perhaps on television or at your local zoo? Was it the tiger's power, it's grace, it's beauty that won you over? it's no surprise that tigers feature so much in many mythologies. However just as the power of the tiger is honoured, it is also coveted. In some countries in Asia, the tiger, or body parts of the tiger, are still believed to have medicinal parts. The demand for tiger parts leads to a powerful black market to feed this demand.

Please take the time to watch the following video.

Whether you live in Australia, the Americas, Europe or any other part of the world it is easy to sit here in our arm chairs, shake our heads and mutter, "Isn't it shocking. Why don't they do something about it?". However I encourage you to, "Be the change you want to see in the world". - Mahatma Gandhi.

Instead of criticizing individuals and governments in other countries, is it not more empowering for ourselves, and them, to work together and support them in making better decisions for our future, and that of the tiger? We are already responsible for the extinction of tigers on the islands of Bali and Java as well as in the Middle East. If things do not change in 10 years, tigers will be lost from all parts where they once roamed.

Now is your time make a difference. I invite you to take on my 30 minute challenge. In the next 30 minutes complete the following:

1. Support the WWF and choose to do at least one way to aid the WWF's work in saving the the tiger from the list at http://wwf.ca/conservation/species/tigers/what_you_can_do/


2. Google at least one person of power and email them, empowering them to work with the policy makers who can protect the tiger.


3. Post on Facebook or Tweet about the tiger so that others in your communities can also make a difference.


4. Use your creativity to create one more way to help preserve the tiger. It is from small ideas that great movements come.

This week the Tiger Summit happens in St Petersburg, Russia where vital parts of the tiger's future may be decided (http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/11/21/35375614.html). This is now the time for you to also act so that for thousands of years to come tigers will continue to roam the earth.

The Sumatran tiger, numbering fewer than 400 individuals in the wild, is found exclusively on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the last stronghold for tigers in Indonesia.

Tigers were also once widespread on Bali and Java; however these two subspecies were exterminated in the 20th century. The last observation in Bali dates back to the late 1930s, and the Javan tiger was recorded for the last time during a survey in 1976. There have been no confirmed records since.

Click here to listen to the interview with Damian Lewis, Supervisor of the Rainforest Department at Melbourne Zoo about Sumatran Tigers.

For more information about all the great things happening at Melbourne Zoo visit www.zoo.org.au.