Free Market Environmentalism
Commerce for Conservation: A proposal to save
the tiger
Sustainable Development Network, India - Save the Tiger
Initiative, June 4, 2007
Commerce for Conservation
A proposal to save the tiger
Sustainable Development Network – Save the Tiger
Initiative
June 2007
Save the Tiger Initiative of SDN
welcomes comments, and invites organisations and individuals to endorse this
statement, and join this coalition in an effort to secure the future of
tigers.
Email:
TigerInitiative@gmail.com
Contents:
Introduction
The tiger in crisis
Improving incentives for in situ conservation
Reintroducing tigers
Economic Development and Conservation
Tigers – Better bred than dead
Trade restrictions make smuggling profitable
Demand for tiger products: a new opportunity for conservation
Control and Monitoring mechanism
Conclusion: Commerce for Conservation
Appendix 1: Sustainable Development Network Members
1. Introduction
Wild tiger populations are at crisis point across Asia. For
over three decades, conservation policies have focussed on 4 Ps –
Prohibition on hunting and trade, Protection of habitat, Promotion of
awareness and Policing. If the future of Asian tigers is to be secured, it
is time to re-evaluate these existing strategies, and to explore alternative
conservation measures.
Two critical factors are missing from the conventional prescription –
Property rights and Profit motive. Property rights in wildlife and
wilderness areas could unleash the power of commerce for the cause of
conservation. First, it allows local populations to profit from natural
resources through opportunities like eco-tourism, giving people a stake in
tiger conservation. It would also attract and encourage investment towards
conservation. Secondly, investment in tiger breeding facilities could meet
the market demand for tiger products in a cost effective way, greatly
reducing the profitability of illegal trade.
By making in situ conservation of tigers more viable and making
poaching less profitable, a mutually beneficial marriage of conservation and
commerce could be achieved.
2. The Tiger in Crisis
Recent estimates by the Wildlife Institute of India put the number of tigers
in India’s forests at between 1,500 and 2,000 – a sharp decline from the
3,500 estimated in 2002. This puts the global total at around 3,000
(assuming that India is host to 75% of the World’s wild tigers). But whether
the total is 3000 or 7000 (the upper estimate sometimes given), the fact is
that the wild tiger population is small and declining.
Several factors contribute to this decline in numbers and fuel the prospect
of extinction of tigers in the wild. Loss of habitat is the most
significant: a recent report by conservation groups noted that in the past
decade areas known to be inhabited by tigers have declined by 40 percent.
Human-animal conflicts are also very serious: In India, every year about two
hundred people lose their lives or are seriously injured and countless
domestic animals are lost due to wildlife attacks in rural areas.
Commercial poaching is a problem, though the exact scale remains unclear:
there appears to be a gap between claims of poaching in India and the
evidence of illegal trade in China; so where do these tigers come from?
Another concern is the biological viability of small populations of tigers
in isolated reserves scattered across India. Continuous inbreeding might
contribute to genetic degeneration, undermining the viability of these
isolated animals.
So, to summarise, the key threats to the tiger are:
-Habitat loss;
-Human-tiger conflicts;
-Commercial poaching;
-Genetic degeneration in small, isolated tiger populations.
3. Improving incentives for in situ conservation
Given the significance of habitat loss and human-tiger conflicts as factors,
it makes sense to prioritise these in addressing the issue of wild tiger
conservation.
Habitat loss occurs primarily as a result of people converting forest into
agricultural land (for crops or pasture). As their habitat declines, so
tigers are forced into closer proximity to humans, which increases the
threat of tigers attacking or killing people or domestic animals – with
predictable responses from threatened people.
People convert forest to agriculture because they lack other ways of
producing food or otherwise earning a living. One way to reduce the
incentives for conversion is to increase the value of the forest as forest
to the people who live there. Various measures might achieve this, but most
importantly local people must have a greater stake in the conservation of
the forest in its natural state.
At present, the forest is of little value to people who live there unless it
is converted to agriculture. But the rights of the people to the forest and
the wildlife and other natural resources therein are at best weak and at
worst unrecognised. If the local people were allowed to own the forest
regardless of the uses to which it is put, they would have incentives to
increase the intensity of agriculture, which would reduce the amount of
forest that is converted, and they would also have incentives to obtain
greater value from the forest as forest, for example by selling rights to
view – and in exceptional cases even hunt – tigers. At present, some of the
poorest people live amidst rich natural assets, and such an arrangement is
naturally unsustainable, in addition to being grossly unjust.
In order to improve incentives for in situ conservation, it is imperative
that those populations living in proximity with tigers:
-Have clearly defined and readily enforceable property rights in the forest and wildlife therein
-Have access to markets for wildlife (including tigers and tiger body parts) and other forest products, unhindered by bureaucratic intervention
If these conditions are met, the local people will be able directly to benefit from their conservation efforts. They will, in effect, have a stake in the natural wilderness and wildlife resources, which will offset the risks of living in proximity with dangerous animals and create incentives to cooperate against poachers. It will also attract investors for a range of consumptive and non-consumptive environmental products.
Given the challenge, China and India, two of the largest tiger range countries, now have an opportunity to cooperate for the cause of conservation.
-China has undertaken a selective breeding and reintroduction programme for the critically endangered South China Tiger
-China and India could cooperate and share expertise in tiger management
-China could also benefit from Indian expertise in tiger habitat management.
5. Economic Development and Conservation
General economic development reduces pressure on natural resources as alternative economic options become more profitable. During the industrial development of countries that are today relatively wealthy, demand for agricultural land fell as labour- and capital- intensive industries rose. As a result, the pressure on forests and other natural resources declined, making the restoration of many natural habitats politically and economically possible. With rapid economic growth in recent decade, China’s environment seems poised to benefit from development dividend – consider the following:
-Rapid industrial growth has drawn millions of rural Chinese away from their villages
-Some of the villages in South China are experiencing rapid depopulation
-The prospect for recreating tiger habitats in some of these areas seem quite bright
-The lower potential for man – animal conflict enhances the chances of survival for some of the wildlife
In India, with a higher proportion of people living in close proximity to
environmental resources, the need to make these resources economically
valuable to the people is far greater. Some salient facts regarding the feasibility of tiger breeding: -Tigers breed easily in captivity (they are cats …);
-With proper stud book management, ex situ conservation would complement in
situ efforts; -China has developed expertise in the art of breeding and managing large
tiger populations in captivity (there are currently approximately 5000
captive-bred tigers in China); -The standard advice to Indian zoos has been not to breed big cats frequently
because of the costs; -Indian zoos have had difficulties managing even a few dozen tigers when they
bred them. -Carefully selected sub-species of South China Tigers are being rewilded with
the aim of reintroduction in designated Chinese forests, which are being
specially prepared; -China and India could cooperate on breeding, rewilding and reintroduction of
tigers for their mutual benefit; -Legalised breeding in a competitive market environment encourages higher
productivity increases and lower costs.
6. Tigers – Better bred than dead
Captive and controlled breeding of endangered species is an important tool
for promoting conservation. The United States, with no indigenous tiger
species, is host to more captive tigers – around 10,000 (in zoos or as pets)
– than currently are estimated to live in the wild in the rest of the world.
Paradoxically, Indian zoos are advised not to breed tigers freely because
they are large and costly to maintain. This exclusive focus on in situ
conservation in India has undermined the role of ex situ conservation in
promoting the former.
7. Trade restrictions make smuggling profitable
There is a limit to how long and how well trade restrictions can function in
the face of continued effective demand. More often than not, attempts to
restrict trade merely push it underground. The artificial scarcity created
by trade restrictions raises prices, providing criminals with incentives to
smuggle animals and animal parts. Evidence from across the world shows that
when trade is outlawed, only outlaws trade!
-The value of illegal trade in wildlife is estimated at over US$ 10 billion a
year.
-The imposition of various trade restrictions, including those under CITES,
has led to the emergence of an elaborate underground network of poachers,
smugglers and traders.
-By artificially limiting the supply of legitimate tiger products, trade
restrictions have made poaching and smuggling far more profitable.
-Since local populations have no stake in tiger conservation (quite the
opposite, even), they have no incentive to cooperate with law enforcement to
prevent poaching.
Safari parks in Southern Africa illustrate the financial attraction of
tourism and hunting. In the US, nature tourism (fishing and hunting
included) generates over US$ 100 billion in economic activities annually.
Tigers, alive as well as dead, are sought after and could therefore offer
similar opportunities: -Tiger bones are important in traditional Chinese medicines (TCM). -Tiger skin is cherished by various Asian cultures, from India to Tibet.
-Tiger skin, teeth and claws could also find uses in the fashion industry.
-Forests hosting wild tiger offer enormous tourism potential.
-Tiger habitats provide unique opportunity for wildlife research and
awareness. -With a stable tiger population, controlled hunting could significantly add
to the revenue stream. -Rather than being a burden on the public exchequer, tigers could become a
financially solvent animal, earning its keep in the marketplace.
8. Demand for tiger products: a new opportunity for conservation
Demand can be viewed either as a threat, or as an opportunity. Demand
clearly exists for tigers in both consumptive uses (hunting, as well as
trade in tiger pelts, bones and other body parts) and in non-consumptive
uses (ecotourism). The imposition of restrictions on trade in tiger parts is
predicated on the assumption that demand is a threat. However, these
restrictions have had the opposite effect to that intended – they have
driven up the profits from illegal poaching and trade, while reducing the
viability of legal farming.
If tigers and tiger habitat could be owned by people who currently share
their habitat, and if those people were able to engage in commerce in
relation to tigers (offering ecotourism services, selling tigers and tiger
parts, etc.), existing demand could then be met more effectively – turning
the threat into an opportunity for sustainable use.
Various species – including domestic farm animals such as cattle and pigs,
as well as more exotic species, such as reindeer in Scandinavia, blackbucks
and bison in the US, vicuna in Argentina, crocodiles in Australia, and many
others – have escaped the prospect of extinction through sustainable use.
9. Control and Monitoring mechanism
For commerce to be successful, a rule-based, transparent and competitive market environment is critical. In view of the range of tiger products, it is necessary to have a control and monitoring mechanism in place to prevent illegal trade:
-Local populations, when they have a stake in wildlife resources, are the most effective deterrent to poaching.
-Grassroots intelligence is critical to crackdown on smuggling.
-Effective legal competition is the best antidote to smuggling.
-Legitimate investors have an interest in cooperating with law enforcement to stop illegal trade.
-Certification scheme(s) could be developed to authorise and validate the legitimate tiger products.
-Owners, traders and certifiers would have strong incentives to enhance awareness of counterfeit products in the illegal trade (about 75% of alleged tiger products seized in China are found to be spurious by forensic experts).
-Certification and rating scheme(s) for tiger habitat management could be developed that would further enhance the viability of sustainable use.
-Greater efficiency in law enforcement, complemented by local incentives and interests would also enhance the prospects of successful sustainable use.
10. Conclusion: Commerce for Conservation
Commerce and conservation do complement each other quite effectively when
the appropriate institutional environment exists. Rather than posing a
threat, the demand for consumptive uses of tigers could aid its conservation
in the wild. The ex situ breeding of tigers could meet the demand for tiger
products, as well as help renew the gene pool of the tigers in situ. It
would be a tragedy if the world were to lose an iconic species from the wild
because of our failure to appreciate the complementarities between in situ
and ex situ conservation programmes. There is no reason for a species as
charismatic and rich in cultural symbolism as the tiger to die out like a
pauper. It is still possible to turn the threats to tiger conservation into
opportunities. By harnessing the power of commerce, the tiger can easily
walk away from the spectre of extinction.
Appendix: Sustainable Development Network members
Ag Bio World Foundation
USA
www.agbioworld.org
Africa Fighting Malaria
South Africa
www.fightingmalaria.org
Alternate Solutions Institute
Pakistan
www.asinstitute.org
ARCH-Vahini
Gujarat, India
Asociación de Consumidores Libres
Costa Rica
www.consumidoreslibres.org
Association for Liberal Thinking
Turkey
www.liberal-dt.org.tr
CEDICE
Venezuela
www.cedice.org
Centre for Civil Society
India
www.ccsindia.org
Centre for Environmental Studies
Liberalni Institute
Prague, Czech Republic
www.libinst.cz
Centre for New Europe, Belgium
www.cne-network.org
CEPPRO, Paraguay
China Sustainable Development Research Centre
Capital University of Business and Economics
Circulo Liberal
Uruguay
www.circuloliberal.org
Community Resources Institute
Kenya
Fundacion Atlas 1853
Argentina
www.atlas.org.ar
Fundacion Libertad
Panama
www.fundacionlibertad.org.pa
Free Market Foundation
South Africa
www.freemarketfoundation.com
Instituto Ecuatoriano de Economía Política
Ecuador
www.ieep.org.ec
International Policy Network, UK
www.policynetwork.net
Imani – the Centre for Humane Education
Ghana
www.imanighana.org
INLAP
Costa Rica
www.inlap.org
Instituto de Libre Empresa
Peru
www.ileperu.org
Instituto Liberdade
Brazil
www.il-rs.com.br
Instituto Libertad y Progreso
Colombia
www.ilyp.net
Institute of Public Affairs
Australia
www.ipa.org.au
Inter-Region Economic Network
Kenya
www.irenkenya.org
Institute for Public Policy Analysis
Nigeria
www.ippanigeria.org
Libertad y Desarrollo
Chile
www.lyd.cl
Liberty Institute
India
www.libertyindia.org
www.InDefenceofLiberty.org
Lion Rock Institute
Hong Kong
www.lionrockinstitute.org
Manushi
India
www.manushi-india.org
Research Center for Entrepreneurship Development,
Vietnam
www.rced.com.vn
RSE - Centre for Social and Economic Research
Iceland
http://www.rse.is/
Zambia Institute for Public Policy Analysis
www.zippazambia.org
Author: Save the Tiger Initiative is undertaken by the Sustainable
Development Network
© In Defence of Liberty
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