Fund Supports Tiger Conservation Efforts (NAPSA)—Thetiger—whether in zoos, on stage, or in the wild— has long been a source of fascination for people the world over. However, the wild tiger has become an endangered species in recent years. A decade ago, prominent conservationists predicted that due to forces as diverse as poaching, ecological change and industrial development, wild tigers would be extinct by the year 2000. Fortunately, an organization has stepped forward to support tiger conservation by educating global communities on why tigers are more valuable alive than dead. The Save The Tiger Fund—a partnership between the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and ExxonMobil—is dedicated to supporting the conservation of the world’s remaining wild tigers. The Fund invests in a variety of projects to increase international cooperation and communication, build local and global partnerships and leadership, and deliver effective on-the-ground conservation of tigers in landscapes increasingly dominated by humans. Some of these conservation efforts are built around innovative responses that address economic issues. For example, in several areas poachers are being rehabilitated and provided with new careers as tiger guards. In Siberia this effort, along with the enactment of laws to stop the international trade in tiger parts and products, has helped to reduce the poaching of the Siberian tiger by 60 percent. While Western contributions to tiger conservation have been valuable in termsof scientific exper- Thousands of individuals, from school children to business professionals, have joined in the effort to save thetiger. tise and financial investments, long-term success hinges on the cultivation of local leadership within these tiger-range countries, which is more sustainable, more responsive, and ultimately more powerful to affect real change. Since its launch, the Save The Tiger Fund has supported 226 projects that aid in development of this kind of leadership with more than $11 million. Publie contributions account for more than $1.6 million of this funding. Thousandsof individuals, from school children to business professionals, have joined in the effort to save the tiger. ExxonMobil first began funding tiger preservation in 1992 in the Russian Far East and has invested more than $11 million to date in tiger range countries. Through its foundation, it supports responsible environmental protection efforts around the world, including the preservation of endangered species with programs such as the Save The Tiger Fund. To learn more, visit the Web sites at www.5tigers.org and www.nfwforg.
