WildCats Pawcast

In our third episode, we are exploring the criminal underworld of the illegal wildlife trade. Raking in up to an estimated $23 billion a year according to the UN, the international wildlife trade is one of the most lucrative transnational organised crimes.

Ivory, rhino horn and tiger parts are among the most popular large animal “commodities” that are trafficked by criminal networks involved in the illegal trade. Today, we are left with fewer than around 4000 tigers living in a meagre 4% of their historic range compared with the 100,000 wild tigers who roamed across Asia just over a century ago. And yet, there is no respite for this heavily persecuted species with an estimated 2 tigers seized per week since the turn of the century.

We are joined by Debbie Banks, the Tiger and Wildlife Crime Campaign Leader for the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA). From undercover operations exposing the illegal tiger trade to working with governments to improve policy and commitment, Debbie has dedicated more than 20 years to protecting tigers. She has worked on projects and investigations in India, Nepal, China, Thailand, the USA, Europe and Japan and has trained numerous investigators to continue her legacy.

You can read more reports on the illegal wildlife trade from the EIA here.

Welcome to episode two of WildCats Pawcast, the show which brings you closer to experts from around the world working to save wild tigers and their habitats. Today we’re going to be taken deep into the world of tigers as we explore the subject of population monitoring which is very topical during this Year of the Tiger.

Confronted with the dire situation facing wild tiger survival back in 2010, world leaders and conservation practitioners met to discuss strategies for tiger recovery. This meeting was a first in human history where country leaders converged to discuss the conservation of a single species. The outcome was a Global Tiger Recovery Program that outlined strategies to double tiger numbers by the next Year of the Tiger in 2022. And here we are, it’s 2022. 12 years have passed and what happened to that goal to double wild tiger numbers?

Ahead of this year’s global tiger count we are joined by Dr Jhala, the dean and a senior professor at the Wildlife Institute of India and Dr Abishek Harihar, a population ecologist and assistant director of Panthera’s Tiger program. They explain the history of counting tigers and how baselines were set. We hear how these methods have developed over the years and the benefits and challenges this has created. Dr Jhala gives us an eye-opening insight into India’s Guinness World Record holding tiger count and we hear from Dr Harihar about some of the challenges associated with estimating global tiger numbers.

12 years ago, there was a very real risk that tigers would become extinct in the wild, however, we are finally seeing their numbers increase across their range in Asia thanks to coordinated and concerted conservation efforts, but they’re not out of the woods yet.

In honour of Year of the Tiger in the lunar calendar which begins on February 1st WildCats Conservation Alliance are dropping this Pawcast dedicated to tigers. On the last Year of the Tiger in 2010, leaders of the 13 tiger range countries assembled at an International Tiger Forum to set out the Global Tiger Recovery Program. Their overarching goal was to double the number of wild tigers across their geographical area by the next Year of the Tiger in 2022.

That is where this series comes in. To celebrate this monumental year for tiger conservation WildCats delve into current issues affecting the preservation of this majestic species. In each episode, you'll meet with experts from around the world working to save wild tigers and their habitats and take a deeper dive into the threats and solutions affecting the future of the species.

From deforestation to climate change, illegal wildlife trade to human-tiger conflict, WildCats will be exploring a different key issue in every episode.

Join the conversation on social media by searching for ‘Conserve WildCats’ on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. And make sure you subscribe to WildCats Pawcast wherever you get your podcasts so that you never miss an episode.

Welcome back to episode 5 of WildCats Pawcast brought to you by the WildCats Conservation Alliance and hosted by Amy van Gelder.

To celebrate Global Tiger Day on the 29th of July, we recruited some inquisitive kids to help record our Pawcast. Amid the who, what, where, why and how, children are often asking the most important and challenging questions. So, in the latest episode of WildCats Pawcast, we have handed the metaphorical podcasting microphone over to some of the world’s most enquiring minds. But, can leading tiger experts withstand the interrogation? Join Dr. Dale Miquelle from the WCS, Debbie Martyr from FFI and Sashank Sharma from ZSL Nepal as they fearlessly take on these curious cubs.

Join us this World Wildlife Day as we delve into the cutting-edge realm of digital innovation in wildlife conservation! In this special episode, we are thrilled to be joined by Lydia Katsis, Senior Technical Specialist at the Zoological Society of London’s Conservation Technology Programme.

From advanced tracking technologies to innovative data analytics, we uncover the diverse digital solutions driving wildlife protection into the future. However, amidst the excitement of technological progress, a stark reality looms: an estimated 3.7 billion people, nearly half of the world’s population, lack access to the Internet. This gaping digital divide disproportionately affects the least developed countries, which ironically harbor the richest biodiversity. This presents a formidable challenge in harnessing the full potential of digital technologies for collective conservation efforts. In our quest to safeguard species teetering on the brink of extinction, we must prioritize equal opportunities for all. Our mission extends beyond wildlife preservation; it encompasses fostering digital inclusion by 2030. Join us as we unravel the critical intersection of digital advancement and wildlife conservation, forging a path toward a more inclusive and sustainable future for all inhabitants of our planet.