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Rhinoceros & Tiger Conservation Fund U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Rhinoceros & Tiger Conservation Fund Rhinos and tigers groups, mostly in protected forests, in some populations over the past are magnificent refuges, and national parks and their decade. Recovery of Africa’s white creatures: big, corridors. Experts estimate that more rhino demonstrates the benefits powerful, and than 500 tigers are killed each year. of strong law enforcement and charismatic. Recent surveys indicate the South conservation management. Decimated Unfortunately, China tiger may have become extinct by hunting, white rhinos nearly became these same in the wild, with only 47 remaining extinct with only about 100 surviving qualities make alive in China’s zoos. Sadly there are in the wild. Now, with protection and them popular targets; rhino and tiger fewer tigers in the wild now than there successful management, the subspecies body parts are in high demand on the are in captivity. has increased to more than 20,000 and global black market. Tiger organs and is the most abundant of all rhinos. bones and rhino horns are used in Wild rhinos can still be found in parts Asian medicines, which are sold to of Asia and Africa, but they too live However, a recent resurgence in consumers who believe these animal in small fragmented populations poaching threatens to reverse these products convey strength, health and which may not be viable (due to lack successes. South Africa lost 668 rhinos virility. The tiger’s beautiful orange of breeding opportunities and risk to poaching in 2012 and 919 in the first pelt commands a high price. The illegal of random events or disease). The months of 2013. If poaching continues trade in animal parts is a profitable Javan rhino still lives in Indonesia’s to skyrocket, rhino populations will business and the demand for these Ujung Kulon National Park (27- once again be at risk of extinction. products creates an ongoing 44 individuals), but the last known temptation for poachers. Rhinos and individual of the Vietnamese In 1994, the U.S. Congress passed a tigers also fall victim to poachers’ subspecies of this rhino was poached in law to establish the Rhinoceros and snares, set to trap other animals for April 2010. Tiger Conservation Fund. Grants bushmeat or trophies. are awarded from this fund for anti- Before 1900, hundreds of thousands of poaching programs, habitat and In addition to poaching for profit, black rhinos occurred throughout most ecosystem management, development tigers are killed by local villagers who of sub-Saharan Africa, but between of nature reserves, wildlife surveys fear attacks on humans or livestock. As 1970 and 1992, rhino populations and monitoring, management of human populations encroach further declined 96%. Black rhinos went human-wildlife conflict, public into the habitats of wild animals, the extinct in many range states, and by awareness campaigns and other resulting conflict poses a serious threat 1992, only 2,300 individuals survived in conservation efforts related to rhino to both human and animal safety. seven countries. and tiger survival. With this assistance there is hope that rhinos and tigers Wild tigers, once abundant throughout Increased security and greater anti- will return to healthy numbers. Asia, now live in small fragmented poaching efforts have led to increases Below: Southern black rhino (Diceros bicornis minor) is darted during veterinary check in Namibia Credit: Michelle Gadd/USFWS Above: Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) relaxes in Assam, India Credit: Aaranyak In 2013, the Wildlife Without Borders program funded 49 projects from the Rhinoceros & Tiger Conservation Fund totaling nearly $2.6 million, which was leveraged by nearly $3.5 million in matching and in-kind funds. These funds supported innovative conservation projects in 15 countries, including: • In collaboration with FREELAND • In partnership with the Wildlife include daily rhino monitoring Foundation, decrease consumption Conservation Society, increase patrols, training and mentorship of ivory, rhino horn, tigers, action taken by the Government of future rhino monitors from the pangolins and other endangered of Vietnam to fight illegal wildlife local community, running education wildlife in Thailand, Vietnam and trade across the Vietnam- day camps for school children, and China by targeting government China border. This will be conducting outreach with adults decision-makers, young done by facilitating central and living in neighboring communities. people, and the business sector provincial level inter-agency through awareness campaigns. communication and coordination, • In partnership with Save the These include public service enhancing communications and Rhino International, support the announcements on national coordination between relevant capture, translocation and release television and billboards and agencies in Guangxi (China) and of a founder population of eastern partnership-building with leading Quang Ninh (Vietnam) province, black rhinos onto a newly approved online marketplaces directed at and generating domestic and conservancy in Kenya. banning illegal wildlife sales from international media coverage their websites. that supports prevention and • Together with the International suppression of transnational Rhino Foundation, continue • Together with Global Tiger Forum, wildlife crimes. support for a second workshop develop a cadre of trained wildlife on wildlife law to improve the managers and field personnel across • Support to Fauna and Flora prosecution rate in Zimbabwe for the tiger range states by providing International to build institutional crimes against rhinos and other training at the Wildlife Institute of capacity at the provincial and wildlife. India. The institute offers three- district level for improved tiger month certificate or ten-month conservation in Aceh, Indonesia. diploma programs in wildlife This will be done through management. improved patrolling, by developing a tiger crime strategy with the Aceh police, and by improving law enforcement and emergency responses to tiger incidents. • In partnership with theFrankfurt Zoological Society/Gzimek’s Help for Threatened Wildlife, Inc., restart the rhino monitoring program in Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania. This includes supporting anti-poaching boat and ground patrols and the rehabilitation of a ranger post. • In collaboration with Wildlife ACT Critically endangered Sumatran Fund Trust, support the operating tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) is expenses of a community-led filmed in the forests of Indonesia. initiative to reintroduce southern Credit: Fauna and Flora International Critically endangered Sumatran black rhinos in KwaZulu-Natal, rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) South Africa. Activities supported U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service International Affairs Credit: International Rhino Foundation Division of International Conservation 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: IA Rhinoceros & Tiger Conservation Funding from 2006 through 2013 Falls Church, Virginia 22041 Total Number of Grant Proposals Received 527 703-358-1754 703-358-2115/fax Total Number of Grants Awarded 287 [email protected] Total Funds Distributed through Grants $18,420,551* http://www.fws.gov/international www.fws.gov Total Matching/In-kind Funds Leveraged by Grants $28,939,671 CFDA# 15.619 *Amount includes funds from the Save Vanishing Species Stamp August 2014.
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