Tiger Skin Trade Must Stop

4.30.52pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 15th Feb 2006

Lib Dem MEP for the South East Sharon Bowles has today given her support to a campaign to stop the illegal trade of tiger and leopard skins.

The Written Declaration that Sharon Bowles has signed calls for the Governments of India, Nepal and China to clamp down on organised criminal groups operating in their region, who are trading in these skins openly.

In the early 1900's there were an estimated 100 000 tigers roaming wild across Asia. Today there are probably fewer than 5000; half of them in the forests and reserves of India.

Sharon Bowles said "It is shocking to think that even now in the 21st century there are communities who think it acceptable to hunt and kill tigers and leopards for their skins, and even more shocking to think there are still people who will buy the skins and openly wear them."

"There are international laws such as the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species that make it absolutely clear that this trade is unacceptable no matter where in the world you live."

"We must take immediate action to stop the illegal international trade in tiger and leopard skins before these species are driven to extinction."

For the full text of the Written Declaration, and to see how many MEPs have signed up to it so far, visit http://www.europarl.eu.int/activities/expert/writtenDecl.do?language=EN&YEAR_VAL=2006

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