NGOs Rally to Stop Tiger Skin Trade

13 January 2006

Stop the Slaughter - Stop Wearing Tiger Skins

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This is the simple message behind a new initiative started this month by a coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) aimed at raising awareness among the tiger and leopard skin wearers in Tibet and western China, many of whom are unaware of the devastating impact the skin trade is having on big cat populations.

Information is being disseminated through an exhibition of photographs, posters, leaflets and an awareness film in the Khampa language. The film, produced by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) with the support of Global Tiger Patrol (GTP), contains shocking footage obtained during a recent EIA and WPSI survey of the trade across the Tibetan plateau where the true and horrific scale of tiger and leopard skin use was revealed.

The initiative was launched at Kalachakra, a major spiritual event in the Tibetan Buddhist imal welfare.

Belinda Wright, Executive Director of WPSI, said in New Delhi today: "We hope that the shocking images being used in the material will encourage Tibetans to abandon the cruel practice of decorating costumes with tiger, leopard or otter skins."

For further information and images, please contact:

WILDLIFE PROTECTION SOCIETY OF INDIA (WPSI)
S-25 Panchsheel Park,
New Delhi 110017, India
Tel: (Int+ 91.11) 4163.5920 & 4163.5921
Fax: (Int+ 91.11) 4163.5924
Email: wpsi@vsnl.com
Website: www.wpsi-india.org

Dalai Lama embarrassed
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, at the recent Kalachakra 2006 Buddhist festival in Amravati India which drew a huge crowd of 100 000+, many of whom are Tibetan, mentioned the issue of banned animal skins. The following is from a press release issued by the organisers on the 9th January. "Addressing himself particularly to the visitors from Tibet he commented that he had heard about and seen pictures of people with no inner qualities, or reasons to show off, decked out in elaborate costumes adorned with banned animal furs and skins. He said that after all the efforts that he and his administration have made to resolve the Tibetan issue peacefully, he felt embarrassed by such behaviour. He said that the increase in the number of butchers in Tibet was a disgrace and he was proud of those Tibetans who were campaigning for animal welfare and seeking to encourage vegetarianism."

http://www.kalachakra2006.com/