Saving the Tiger

WCS-ACCP/04/2001 Project Title: Reducing Tiger Products Use in China-Ⅲ Project #: 2000-182-008 Grant Period: April 1,2000 to March 31,2001 Report Period: October 1,2000 to March 31,2001(Report 2 of 2) GOALS: 1) To Raise public awareness and influence pattern of use of tiger-based products among the Asian populations as a way to reduce pressures on tiger populations in the wild, and 2) To strengthen existing collaborations between the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and various levels of the government and scientific institutions in China to promote public conservation education. PROGRESS: This is the second and final report for a project conducted by Dr. Endi Zhang, Director of the WCS Asian Conservation Communication Program (WCS-ACCP) based in Shanghai, China. Following progresses were made: Collaborators and other institutional affiliations: State Forestry Administration (SFA), Ministry of Education (MoE), State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), China Endangered Species Import and Export Administration, China Wildlife Conservation Association, China Endangered Species Scientific Commission, Shanghai Wildlife Conservation and Management Office, Shanghai CITES Office, Shanghai Wildlife Forensics Laboratory, Shanghai Zoo, Shanghai Center for Youth Wildlife Conservation Education, Ogvily & Mather Shanghai, Shanghai Wild Animal Park, Shanghai Onway Multimedia Software & Network Exploitation Co. Ltd., East China Normal University (ECNU), Second Military Medicine University, Shanghai University of TCM, Guangzhou University of TCM, Life and Nature Association, Nature Protection Association, Univ. of Science & Technology. Guizhou University of TCM, Shanghai Cable TV, and Shanghai TV. 1) TCM community: The demand for tiger part, especially bone, used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and related products, is a major driving force behind poaching of tiger in many areas. If tigers are to be protected from poaching and their survival ensured, it is essential to address the trade issue at the point of supply and demand. Based in Mainland China, WCS-ACCP continued conducting activities to tackle this problem in China, which include as followings: 1. Workshops • On November 30, a TCM workshop was held in Guangzhou at the Guangzhou 1 WCS-ACCP/04/2001 University of TCM. A total of fifteen top TCM practitioners and wildlife conservationists attended this workshop. Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong Province, which is a famous place for wildlife trade. Guangdong has a great influence in TCM business. This workshop has drawn great attention among the professionals and government officials in the field. • On March 17, 2001, a TCM workshop was hold in Guiyang at the Guiyang University of TCM. A total of 10 top TCM practitioners and wildlife conservationists attended this workshop. Which including the university president, several imminent professors of TCM and two famous TCM practitioners. Such workshop was the first of its kind ever been hold in the region. For Guizhou Province is well known for the production of TCM materials as well as many illegal hunted the wildlife for medicinal uses. Mr. Li Mingjing, the head of wildlife conservation division of the Guizhou Provincial Forestry Bureau told us that they will improve the wildlife law enforcement in the province in order to achieve a sound conservation. 2. Debates and other Campus-based Activities In order to facilitate dialogue among university students of different majors over wildlife consumption in TCM, in November 2000, WCS-ACCP organized a debate between the students from ECNU and that from Shanghai University of TCM on the topic of “Whether using endangered wildlife in medicine is advantageous or disadvantageous.” More than 100 people attended the debate, which was held at the Shanghai University of TCM. We attach a copy of the report that was prepared by program staff, and the copies of the reports were also distributed to over 100 institutions, government departments, on-compass students and selected individuals in Shanghai and elsewhere. The feedback from the attendees thus far was very positive and encouraging. Also sponsored by WCS and STF, another series activities entitled “ Wild animal ought to/not to be used into medicine” was launched in Hefei, Anhui province in November 2000, activities including public awareness survey, campus-based speech and an Intranet (the intranet of Anhui Science and Technology University) discussion over the issue. A total of 2，000 sheets of questionnaires were distributed including 1，000 to the drug stores (they are also selling some TCM medicines), street citizens and 1，000 to college students of Anhui Science and Technology University. Altogether 874 sheets from the public and 880 from the campus were fed back, the feedback rate was up to 87.7%，which shows that the students and the public pay more attention to the activities. The on-campus talk given by Zu Shuxian – a famous TCM professor in China, and the Intranet discussion over the use of wild animal into medicine drew hundred’s of students’ attention and stirred an argument among them. 2 WCS-ACCP/04/2001 3. Publication In order to prompt the conservation of wildlife resources and to rise public awareness, with full support from the Save the Tiger Fund, the book named “Conservation of Endangered Medicinal Wildlife Resources in China” edited by Dr. Zhang and Prof. Zheng Hancheng was published in August, 2000 (in Chinese with English summary). This book have collected many important conservation articles written by senior specialists, a selected titles are as following: 1. Conservation Strategy for Sustainable Use of the Wildlife Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine 2. Traditional Chinese Medicine and Fulfillment of the Obligation the CITES. 3. Status and Conservation of Musk Deer Resources in China This book is the first such kind of publication in Chinese and would be a helpful reference for governments, institutions and concerned individuals. 2) The propagation and education activities on wildlife conservation in universities, middle and primary schools in Shanghai 1. To increase the awareness among the school students in Shanghai that many wild animals are becoming endangered due to poaching driven by economic profits, and that all kinds of wildlife consumption especially for food and medicine are the major causes, WCS-ACCP has been conducting a joint “model school” project with Shanghai Wildlife Conversation Association (SWCA), the Shanghai Science Education Center, and the Shanghai Zoo. As part of the project, for the past eight months WCS-ACCP Education Coordinator Mr. Jianhua Wang has been conducting an educational activity entitled, “Big hands in small hands, welcome the new century,” which aims to educate students on protecting the environment and ourselves by resisting eating wildlife and using endangered species-based medicines. A total of 40 schools where enrolled as “model schools for wildlife conservation.”. All of the schools have promised to continue to conduct “wildlife conservation education” for at least two years from the date of signature, and to keep wildlife conservation education as their major after-school activity. Among many activities, save the tiger is the topic that students and their instructor worked on with great enthusiasm. WCS and SWCA are providing technical assistance to these schools. 2. We have organized a month-long wildlife conservation campaign from December 14 2000 through January 15, 2001 with several institutions and organizations in Shanghai including China Endangered Species Import and Export Administration, China Wildlife Conservation Association, China Endangered Species Scientific Commission, Shanghai Wildlife Forensics Laboratory, Shanghai Zoo, Shanghai Center for Youth Wildlife Conservation Education etc. The opening ceremony was held in Xujiawei Square, downtown Shanghai, hundreds and thousands students took part in this campaign, both Shanghai TV and Shanghai Cable TV gave a live report. 3 WCS-ACCP/04/2001 3. On April 8, 2001, to echo the opening ceremony of 20th “National Bird Love Week,” proposed by WCS-ACCP, associated with East China Normal University, Green Forum of Shanghai University, 11 universities and 15 environment conservation leagues, a proposal was brought forward to advocate conserving birds, including: changing old idea from buying cage bird to releasing them back to wild, bird watching, building up green consumption idea through resisting eating wildlife. 4. On December 31, 2000, program representative joined in a function held at Shanghai Wild Animal Park, at which accomplishments of series of activities on the theme of “Protect environment, protect ourselves, advocate a more civilized lifestyle, and resist eating wildlife” were summarized. 5. A series of articles on wild tigers written by program staff member was published in the September issue of “The Science For Juveniles,” a nationwide magazine for the youngsters. The articles covered a range of information about wild tigers, including their behavior, historical distribution, endangered status, etc. With the monthly publication of 200,000 magazines, it is hoped that publishing such papers will provide thousands of young audiences with a full image of wild tigers and their status. 6. Chinese wildlife website (www.wildlifewatcher.net) As the Internet becomes more and more popular throughout the world, China is no exception. There is a wealth of wildlife websites, however, most of them are in English and there are no sites in simplified Chinese

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