Undercover Team Exposes The Tiger Trade

LONDON, June 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A hard-hitting new film following the work of the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) to expose the illegal underworld of tiger trafficking will air on Planet Green on Sunday, June 6 at 10 p.m. (ET).

Dangerous Trade has already won the Best News category at the 33rd International Wildlife Film Festival, in Montana, USA.

Produced by Red Earth Studio in London for Planet Green in the USA, the film goes undercover with an EIA team in China as they reveal the extent of the hugely lucrative market in tiger parts which poses such a dire threat to the world's remaining wild tiger populations.

The film shows China remains a major consumer of tiger and other Asian big cat products; skins are sought for home decor, taxidermy and bribery, while products such as bone are widely used in traditional Chinese medicines and treatments.

EIA also learns about the role of the Chinese military as major consumers of tiger and other big cat skins and encounters traders continuing to operate with impunity, despite being uncovered by previous EIA investigations.

"This is the Chinese Year of the Tiger and a perfect opportunity to bring pressure to bear to end this despicable and damaging trade," said Debbie Banks, EIA Head of Tiger Campaign.

"The film comes at a crucial time. In the autumn, all eyes will be on the Global Tiger Summit, planned to take place in Russia, and looking for signs that renewed political commitment to save the wild tiger will translate into action to end the tiger trade."

EDITORS' NOTES

1. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) is a UK-based Non Governmental Organization and charitable trust (registered charity number 1040615) that investigates and campaigns against a wide range of environmental crimes.

2. Current estimates suggest there may be as few as 3,100 tigers left worldwide. Three subspecies of tiger have become extinct in the last 100 years.

3. While China is the main destination for illegally poached Asian Big Cat parts, there is still demand in some other East Asian countries.

4. EIA is working to support the international community's objective of doubling the wild tiger population by the next Year of the Tiger, in 2022.

Interviews and images are available on request: contact Debbie Banks, EIA Head of Tiger Campaign, at [email protected] or telephone +44 207 354 7960.

SOURCE Environmental Investigation Agency