June 4th, 1998

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Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica)
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GLAND, Switzerland.- WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature and IUCN-The
World Conservation Union today announced the first intervention ever of
their new Tiger Emergency Fund. The innovative funding scheme will be
used to combat forest fires in the Russian Far East increasingly
threatening the survival of the Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), the
world's largest species of the big cat.
Launched in January 1998 as part of WWF's Year For the Tiger
campaign, the WWF/IUCN Tiger Emergency Fund received on May 22 its
first request for assistance from managing authorities at the Lazovsky
and Sikhote-Alin Zapovedniks (or state nature reserves), in Eastern
Russia. Most of the approximately 425-475 remaining wild Amur (also
known as Siberian) tigers live there.
Located alongside the coast of the Sea of Japan, both protected areas
are in great need of funds to purchase and repair equipment for putting
out fires caused by unusually dry weather conditions that have already
destroyed over 2,000 hectares of prime tiger habitat.
"We feel that the emergency that is taking shape in those vital nature
reserves of the Russian Far East is serious enough for us to take action
immediately," explained Dr. Jean-Pierre d'Huart, Manager of the WWF
International Species Unit. "It is better to move now when the situation
has not reached gargantuan proportions than to wait and witness a
serious environmental catastrophe."
With a first allocation of around US$20,000, the Tiger Emergency Fund
intends to satisfy the urgent need for spare parts and fuel for
fire-fighting vehicles, as well as for purchasing fire extinguishing means
and protective clothing for the crews working in fire prevention and
extinction in both areas. Some of the funds will also help repair vehicles
needed to patrol roads frequently used by tiger poachers.
Mr. Anatoly Astafyev, Director of the Sikhote-Alin Zapovednik, said that
the current fires are mostly due to little snow fall during the 1997-1998
winter and uncommonly high temperatures since last February.
"According to weather forecasts, the dry weather will continue through
mid-summer, and the danger of more fires will be high," he said.
WWF's involvement in Amur tiger conservation began in 1992 and the
organization is currently financing a major conservation programme for
the conservation of the Amur tiger and its habitat. The Tiger Emergency
Fund initiative was launched to establish a rapid-response mechanism
for dealing with events that may significantly increase the already
serious threats facing the world's dwindling wild tiger populations.
For more information, please contact Javier Arreaza at tel +41 22
364 9550, or visit the WWF Web Site at www.panda.org