Hamburg, October 09, 2019 – Shocking new case of tiger trafficking in Europe: The global animal welfare organization has uncovered a Lithuanian tiger trafficking ring. The dealers officially and legally operate a zoo. The tiger cubs were discovered in boxes on this site. The animals are six weeks old and were offered for sale for 6,000 euros each. For this sale, the dealers forged the necessary documents. The sale of the young big cats was advertised on exotic pet websites.
Ioana Dungler, head of the wildlife department at , knows that the breeding station in Lithuania is not an isolated case: «Commercial trade in tigers in Europe and export to Asia has become a multi-million dollar business. It’s shocking how easy it is in Europe to buy a tiger and bring it across the borders unchecked.” The tiger trade is particularly widespread in Latvia, Belgium, Spain, Germany, France, Poland and the Czech Republic, and has become one across Europe become a cross-border problem. The investigations into the Lithuanian breeders show that the dealers travel to the Czech Republic several times a month to buy or sell tigers there. With current regulations allowing free trade in tigers, it is impossible to determine the exact number of tigers in captivity, whether in zoos, circuses or private homes.
Up to 1,800 captive tigers in Europe
The number of wild tigers has fallen by 90 percent in the last 100 years – there are currently only around 3,900 tigers worldwide. It is estimated that there are up to 1,800 tigers in captivity in Europe alone. The majority of these animals are not part of zoological conservation breeding programs. Instead, the animals are bred for lucrative trade and mostly end up in the European entertainment industry or as exotic pets. At worst, they are killed for making traditional medicine or trading their body parts. The prices achieved by trading in tigers or tiger body parts are correspondingly high. The six-week-old puppies from Lithuania, for example, were offered for 6,000 euros each. Dead tigers can be sold for up to 15,000 euros.
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works tirelessly to raise awareness of the cruel trade in big cats in Europe.