Asian Big Cats Database

There are fewer than 4,000 tigers left in the wild and illegal trade and trafficking for their fur, and other parts and derivatives is threatening their survival and that of other Asian big cats, including the Asian leopard, Asian lion, and Clouded leopard.

Large scale captive breeding facilities of tigers supply the growing demand of tiger parts and derivatives. Based on the Decision 14.69 (CoP17 Doc. 60.1) CITES urges its Parties with intensive breeding operations to restrict captive populations bred for parts and derivatives and to minimize populations to a level supporting wild conservation.

In order to determine the numbers of tigers and other big cats in captivity in different countries, CITES commissioned the Species360 Conservation Science Alliance to develop the Asian Big Cats in Captivity Database. This database will support CITES in their mission to protect Asian big cats . A summary report can be obtained here.