Black footed ferret denied extra protection

A petition by environmentalists demanding more protection for black-footed ferrets has been dismissed by U.S Fish and Wildlife Service.

WildEarth Guardians, Biodiversity Conservation Alliance and Center for Native Ecosystems filed a petition last year to give full federal endangered species protection to black-footed ferrets on public lands.

The groups felt stricter protection was needed as the widespread shooting of prairie dogs is wiping out the ferrets only prey.

Despite this though, Fish and Wildlife said that the current level was "appropriate". The estimated 500 ferrets living in southeast Wyoming's Shirley Basin are currently listed as "nonessential, experimental" populations, allowing private landowners and wildlife managers more flexibility than if the animals had full endangered-species protection.

Cottontails disappearing!

Biologists believe there are fewer than 100 cottontail rabbits left in New England, US.

The sharp decline is being blamed on a loss of habitat. "They're the poster child for the loss of shrub land habitat," said Steven Fuller, a wildlife biologist with the state Fish and Game Department.

Federal grants have been handed out to New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut to encourage them to step efforts and create new habitats to protect these endangered animals.

The Rangewind New England Cottontail Initiative is focusing on areas targeted for conservation and restoration on public and private land.

Giant tortoises make a comeback!

39 giant tortoises are going to be re released on Pinta island where it hasn't been seen since 1972.

According to officials of the Galapagos National Park, the endangered species are being relocation as part of a long-term plan to restore the original ecosystem of the island.

The volcanic island is also home to a 90 year old tortoise called Lonesome George, believed to be the last of his kind.

Four mountain gorillas die unexpectedly in National Park

The deaths of four mountain gorillas in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park remain unknown at this time.

On Sunday 16, trackers from a research centre discovered a mother dead and her infant seriously weak. They alerted the Rwandan Development Board and veterinarians were dispatched. Despite desperate attempts the baby died. Two other dead infants were also discovered.

The gorillas were part of an estimated 380 members of highly endangered Virunga mountain gorilla population. There are only around 680 mountain gorillas left in the wild and half of them live around the active and non-active Virunga volcanoes.

"We are all shocked and saddened by the death of these baby gorillas as well as the adult female, and by the grave implications for the mountain gorilla population as a whole," said Eugene Rutagarama, Director of the International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP).

The gorillas are thought to of died because of the extreme weather conditions due to the high altitude of their habitat. Tests will be run on the bodies to determine the correct cause.

Asiatic lions at risk

Conservationists believe the Indian lions are at risk because their entire population is confined to the forest in Gir, Gujarat, and they wish to move some of the lions to a wildlife sanctuary in Kuno, Madhya Pradesh.

The Government of Gujarat opposes this move and a dispute is brewing between the to areas authorities.

The Asiatic lion, a sub species of the African lion, until 2000 was listed by the UICN Red List s critically endangered. In 1908 the total population was no bigger than 13 individuals but by 1968, 177 animals were accounted for.

Protective measures have resulted in a significant recovery of these endangered species. A count this year brought the total number to 411 which is good news to the people of Gujarat who consider the lion as their "Animal King".

This has also increased their resolve to oppose the intention to relocate some of the lions to the Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary.

Nestle pledges to stop using palm oil

International food giant, Nestle, has agreed to stop buying palm oil from suppliers who are contributing to deforestation.
The company said it would identify and exclude suppliers which is said to be a huge victory for campaigners, who accused Nestle of hastening the decline of the orang-utan.
Greenpeace has been running a campaign encouraging consumers to contact Nestle, calling for an end in the use of palm oil.
A statement from the pressure group stated that "we didn't expect Nestle to come up with such a comprehensive 'zero deforestation' policy so quickly."

New species found in 'Lost World' rainforest

A Pinocchio frog with an extendable nose and the world's smallest wallaby are just some of the new species discovered in a mountainous region of Indonesia.

The Foja Mountains, a national wildlife sanctuary, is on the island of New Guinea and encompasses 1,200 sq miles of undisturbed rainforest.

The discoveries were made as part of a survey in the area by Conservation International. A team of 17 scientists were dropped off in the area by helicopter. They were then joined by 30 local naturists and spent four weeks exploring the mountains.

Bruce Beehler, a senior research scientist at Conservation International and a member of the research team that set out in November 2008, said "while animals and plants are being wiped out across the globe at a pace never seen in millions of years, the discovery of these absolutely incredible forms of life is much-needed positive news. Places like these represent a healthy future for all of us, and show that it is not too late to stop the current species extinction crisis."

The mountainous region has been called the "Lost World" due to it's absence of roads and tropical environment which has made it the perfect habitat for diverse species.

Conservation International hopes it's documentation of the wildlife in the Foja Mountains will encourage the Indonesian Government to increase long-term protection of the area.

Rwanda to name baby gorilla's for World Environment Day

The development board of Rwanda will name 11 rare baby gorillas as part of a traditional World Environmental Day.

The ceremony, called kwita izina, will take place on 5 June at the foot of the volcanoes deVirunga mountains in Rwanda's Northern Province.

The event will hopefully raise awareness for the conservation protecting endangered mountain gorillas.

Anette Tamara Mbabazi, Rwanda Development Board's media and events officer, said that the international year of the biodiversity would focus on raising awareness of the importance of biodiversity and its protection from underlying threats as well as the significance of establishing interconnections between biodiversity, conservation and climate change.

Climate change could cause lizards to die out

According to a scientific study, climate change could cause 20% of the worlds lizard species to die out by 2080.

Data was collected from 200 sites in Mexico by international researchers. After comparing with other data from around the world it was proven that Earth's temperature was rising faster than the lizard could adapt. As reptiles and amphibians are cold blooded, temperature is a big issue and is detected fast. It plays an major part in their daily activities and also how long they can search for food.

These results are very different from previous estimates and provides a warning for humans as scientists often consider reptiles to be the indicators of the overall health of our ecosystem.

Barry Sinervo, a researcher from the Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California described how lowland species had moved to higher areas for cooler temperatures. This has also caused existing high land species to go extinct.

The study, which measured carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, concluded that in 2050 6 percent of the worlds lizards will be extinct and it's to late to do anything about that, however, if changes were made now it could save the remaining species.

Sinervo said "if the governments of the world can implement a concerted change to limit our carbon dioxide emissions, then we could bend the curve and hold levels of extinction to the 2050 scenarios, but it has to be a global push."

Open season threatens bluefin tuna

Fishing continues to wreak havoc on the bluefin tuna population.

The WWF has asked all fishing countries to keep their fishery's closed until a scientific plan can be put in place to stop destructive industrial fishing.

Over 150 members of CITES met in Doha, Qatar in March where proposals were rejected to list bluefin tuna in the Appendix I of the convention despite meeting the requirements amply. It was mostly rejected on political grounds and overwhelming lobbying from Japan.

Some major members such as the EU did agree to put in radical measures to protect the species by the next meeting in Paris at the end of this year.

Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries at WWF Mediterranean, said "Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks cannot resist for much longer - by all accounts the species is endangered, with current populations dwindling at less than 15 percent of what they once were."

International scientists have said that even an annual catch of 8,000 tonnes would only give at best a 50 percent chance of recovery of Atlantic bluefin tuna.

Such a quota would mean the closure of all Mediterranean fisheries and for them to adapt more traditional methods of fishing such as the tuna traps used around the Straits of Gibraltar that have supported many fishing families for over 3,000 years.

"WWF calls in particular on the EU and Japan - the main catchers and consumers of this endangered species - to lead in honouring their Doha commitments to respect science in fisheries management" said Dr Tudela.

High-tech purse seine fishing vessels with vast sack-like nets which encircle the tuna, are causing the most decline. The WWF has welcomed the decision of Italy to impose a moratorium on its large seine fishing fleet this year and scrap most of the vessels. The WWF also urges other Mediterranean countries to keep their fleets in port.

Butterflies face extinction

A new study has suggested a third of European butterflies are in decline with one in ten threatened with extinction.

Britain could face losing two species of butterfly, the Duke of Burgundy (pictured above) and the Lulworth Skipper, if urgent action isn't taken. Both butterflies have declined in recent years and are now at threat of extinction according to the European Red List assessment of species at risk.

The Lulworth Skipper (pictured right) can now only be found along the south coast of Dorset having declined by 87% since 1980. The Duke of Burgundy have dropped from 200 to just 80 colonies in the last 20 years.

The Large Blue is also showing cause for concern. It is endangered throughout the continent and disappeared from the British countryside in 1979. It has since been successfully reintroduced into Somerset and Dorset.

The chief executive of UK charity Butterfly Conservation, Dr Martin Warren, blamed the decline on habitat loss due to intensive farming practices.

He said "we need to see much greater efforts for farmers to adopt environmentally sensitive agriculture."

A study conducted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has highlighted concerns for 22 species of butterfly, 29 species of beetle and 5 types of dragonfly.

Hotels for bees!

Brussels is planning on spending £1 million to build non-pesticide 'hotels' for French bees in an attempt to curb their decline in population.

Scientists believe the project, which has begun in Lyons, will e very helpful for the European bee population and could also save vegetables, fruit, flowers and billions of Euros.

The five-year programme will cost around £2 million and will include building 48 4m by 2m 'hotels' made from earth, brick and plant stalks.

Frederic Vyghen, of Arthropology, an environmental association running the project, said that the bee population has declined mainly due to the large amount of pesticides used in farming areas. In theory bees would be safer living in urban communities such as towns.

France generated sales of £100 million last year thanks to it's 1.3 million hives. My Vyghen says "if they died out, we'd have no vegetables, fruit - nothing."

Poachers could be to blame for rare Javan rhino death

An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of death of one of the world's rarest large mammals after it was found in a Vietnamese national park.

A scientific examination carried out by WWF indicates poachers were at fault as the rhino had been shot and a horn had been removed. Rhino horns are incredibly valuable in the illegal wildlife trade and are allegedly used in medicine.

Under Vietnam law it is illegal to trade, use or consume parts of an endangered animal and if caught offenders could face imprisonment or large fines.

The body was first discovered by local people in Cat Tien National Park on April 29. A patrol team was dispatched to the scene where the body was confirmed to be that of a Javan rhino.

Vietnamese Javan rhinos are one of two populations of the species left on Earth with an estimated fewer than 60 Javan rhino left. The other population can be found in Ujung kuloN National park in Indonesia with an estimated 40-60 left. There are no Javan rhinos in captivity.

National Policy Coordinator off WWF Vietnam Dung Huynh Tien said "the loss of this rhino is symbolic of the grim situation facing endangered species like the rhino and tiger across Vietnam."

He continues "WWF urges the Vietnamese Government to launch an urgent and extensive criminal investigation into this animal's death."

Rhino poaching met a 15 year high last year with Asia's rising demand for rhino horns and an increase in poachers.

Campaign for 'Animal Relief'

A campaign has been launched to urge the BBC to hold an 'Animal Relief' event just like Comic or Sports Relief.

Barbara Nock, a trustee at Willows Animal Sanctuary in Scotland, told me why she decided to launch the campaign and why it is so important to all of us.

"With 10 million UK pet owners, a vast percentage keeping them as companions thus making them family members, as licence payers it would be fair to redress this imbalance by adding a third event in support of our non-human relatives, be it animal sanctuaries or others caring for animals, unwanted or abused pets, ex-race dogs, ex-race horses, unwanted farm animals, injured wildlife and more. We need our country to show we care by supporting this."

Barbara funds the care of around 300 unwanted animals and other charities and believes a country wide campaign was needed to help support the continual assistance given to these vulnerable animals.

The BBC has so far replied that they have to remain biased and cannot distribute funds but Barbara and her supporters are not giving up.

In addition to a successful ongoing campaign on social networking giant Facebook, Nock has also written many letters to companies in support of animal welfare including The Body Shop, Viva and PDSA to raise awareness of the campaign.

If you would like more information contact campaignbbcforanimalrelief@googlemail.com or joing the campaign on facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=108673725833441&v

New additions to Scotland's first wild beaver population

The Scottish Beaver Trial (SBT) has been given a major boost after a beaver couple we're introduced into the wild.

The pair have been said to be adapting successfully after being released from their previous enclosure in the Highland Wildlife Park on the 4Th May. Prior to their release, the beavers were given temporary shelter until they could build their own home.

The pair will join three other families (11 other beavers) in the trial area at Knapdale forest, Mid Argyll.

The partnership project between the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) and the Royal Zoology Society of Scotland (RZSS) researches the behaviour of beavers in the wild and what their impact will be on the Scottish environment over a five year trial period.The project has been ongoing since last May and is showing continual signs of success.

Roisin Campbell-Palmer, SBT Project leader, said "Knapdale is ideal for beavers and already we have seen other animals really making it their home. The two beavers are in good health, having passed all the required veterinary health checks and we are confident they should settle in well."

Campbell-Palmer says that the beavers have been in quarantine for six months after their arrival in the UK from Norway. They then lived together for several months at the Highland Wildlife Park to help them adapt to the Scottish environment.

SBT Project Manager, Simon Jones, said that "the Scottish Government permits us to release up to four families and we that by having four breeding pairs in Knapdale our Trial stands the best chance of creating a viable population of beavers."

He continues "Over the course of the Trial, all our beavers will be tracked closely by the project team. The release of a forth pair will provide important additional field data and hopefully show how neighbouring families of beavers interact with one another."

More Canadian species at risk says report

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has released a report that reveals more species are becoming at risk.

The report includes the decline in Atlantic cod (pictured left) and bumble bee numbers and federal committee believes they should now be added to the endangered species list.

COSEWIC, who track hundreds of endangered species in Canada, believe that unsustainable harvesting in some areas has caused a rapid decline of up to 90% since the 1960s for some cod species. Scientists believe the cod population is at it's lowest in Canadian history.

Committee chair Jeff Hutchings said "there are populations that are continuing to decline in the absence of fishing and that's mainly because we had previously knocked the populations down so far that other factors in the ecosystems are taking over."

The committee, which met last month, assessed 51 at risk species including the rusty-patched bumble bee (pictured right). The reason for their rapid decline remains a mystery but pesticides, disease and loss of habitat are thought to be contributing factors.

Other species the committee thought should be listed were 11 species of freshwater mussel, two forms of threespine stickleback fish and the flammulated owl which is being viewed on with special concern.

The report did bring some good news with the whooping crane. In the 1930's only 14 were believed to exist but now numbers are no fewer than 250.

Oil rig disaster for endangered species

The recent devastation caused by a fire on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig could prove catastrophic for a number of endangered species living in the Gulf of Mexico.

An explosion occurred Tuesday night and the rig has since collapsed and sunk as a result of a massive fire that engulfed the rig for more than 30 hours. Fear are growing for the 11 workers are still missing.

This has also resulted in thousands of gallons of oil being pumped out into the sea and now poses an enormous threat to the many species living in the surrounding sea area and on the coast.

The Gulf of Mexico is home to some of the world's most endangered marine mammals including six endangered species of whale. There are also several species of shark considered to be "of concern" due to declining populations and also one of the world's largest populations of bottlenose dolphins, with an estimated 45,000 in it's waters.

Along it's 3,500 miles of coastline is the only known nesting place to the worlds most endangered sea turtle. There are also populations of protected Hawksbill, Loggerhead and Leatherback turtle (pictured right) who are due to begin nesting there soon and could be particularly vulnerable to oil washed up on the beach.

The Gulf region also contains around five million acres of wetlands, which are an essential habitat to three quarters of migrating waterfowl that cross the US.

A significant oil spill could be incredibly dangerous as the pollution would likely stay trapped in the encircled land.

Commercial whaling may go ahead after 25 year ban

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) have announced a proposal to allow the killing of whales in their most precious feeding grounds.

If adopted, the proposal will allow legitimate commercial whaling in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary, despite a ban being imposed there since 1994. The Southern Ocean is home to many species of whales including blue whales, humpback whales and fin whales (pictured).

A moratorium on commercial whaling has been held by the IWC since 1986 but countries such as Norway and Iceland have legal objections to the ban. Japan has continued to conduct commercial whaling by using a loophole saying that is legal to kill whales for "scientific purposes".

The proposal has been announced in an effort to bring whaling under the IWC's control and will give these countries official commercial whaling quotas for the next 10 years.

Wendy Elliott, Species Program manager at WWF-International, said "the proposed quotas are not set sing the IWC's own scientific methods, but are a result of political bargaining which has little if anything to do with the whales' themselves. Setting quotas for commercial whaling based on politics not science would be a step backwards for IWC."

Elliott adds "if there is one place on earth where whales should have full protection, it is the Southern Ocean. Allowing commercial whaling in an area where whales are so vulnerable goes against logic."

The Chair of the IWC has also proposed commercial whaling quotas for whale species listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as endangered. Fin whales and sei whales are both endangered species but if the proposal went ahead it would contribute to the deaths of 65 fin whales and 500 sei whales over a 10 year period.

Before the last ban, commercial whaling cause numbers of the sei whale in the Pacific Ocean to drop from 42,000 to just 8,600. 725,000 fin whales were also killed in the Southern Ocean as a result of commercial whaling and a most recent estimate brings their numbers to just 15,178 suggesting that whales have not yet recovered from the last time commercial whaling was legal.

Members of the IWC will decide at their next meeting in Morocco whether or not to adopt the proposal.

New Zealand's albatrosses under threat

ACAP is holding meetings to discuss new national seabird plans to help protect albatrosses.

New Zealand has become by far the most important area for albatrosses with 18 out of 21 species living and breeding there. However, after leaving the nest some species of this majestic bird spend years at sea. This means that it is not just New Zealand who should be responsible for protecting these birds.

The albatrosses tend to fly around the southern ocean, over South America or South Africa. They spend three to four months of each year off the coast of Chile and Peru but longline fisheries in these areas are what's causing such a dangerous threat to these birds.

Earlier this week, an ACAP (Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels) meeting was held in Argentina and many organisations including the WWF attended. The aim was to co-ordinate agreement and include real commitments to reducing seabird deaths through fishing.

Rebecca Bird, WWF's leading marine campaigner, posted on the New Zealand WWF Facebook page "it was largely a successful meeting". She said that as long as Governments stay commited they will be on track.

She continues "a lot more needs to be done both at sea and on land to ensure the future of these amazing creatures".

New species discovered in Borneo

A 'Ninja slug', a lungless frog and a giant stick insect are just some of the amazing new species discovered on the Borneo island.

Around 120 species have been found in an area designated for conservation and the findings have been published in a report by the WWF.

Among the findings are a long-tailed slug (pictured above) that uses 'love darts' made of calcium carbonate to pierce and inject a hormone into a mate to increase the chances of reproduction.

Researchers also discovered a 57 centimetre long stick insect named "Phobaeticus chani" (pictured left) and a flat-headed frog, known as "Barbourula kalimantanensis" (pictured right), which breathes entirely through it's skin instead of it's lungs.

Adam Tomasek, head of WWF's Heart of Borneo initiative, said "we have been finding on average three new species a month and about 123 over the last three years, with at least 600 new species found in the last 15 years."

Farmland birds in trouble

According to a new report, some of Britain's best loved farmland birds are continuing to vanish from our countryside.

Figures indicate an 11 percent decline in bird populations across England since the mid 1990s with species such as the starling (pictured), corn bunting and turtle dove being the most affected.

Among these figures, released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the South East has experienced the worst losses with a decline in farmland birds of almost a quarter in the last 15 years. There has also been a 17 percent decrease in the East Midlands and a 16 percent decrease in the West Midlands. The report shows a clear north-south divide as populations in the north remain stable.

Woodland birds have also suffered with numbers down 10 percent in the South East and South West, however, figures rose by 43 percent in the North West.

Bird charities have said that habitat loss in the main cause of this decline and especial blame intensive farming techniques for wiping out wildlife. Climate change is also believed to be a growing factor.

"This report emphasises the continuing north-south divide in farmland bird populations," said Richard Gregory, of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). "This is largely a result of changing farming practices and land use patterns across England. With more fertile arable land in the south the effects of agricultural intensification have been felt more severely."

He continues "the impacts of global warming are being felt first in the south. Habitat loss and degradation are still the biggest issues facing wild birds but we cannot ignore the new climate threat."

Mammal stamps

A new series of stamps have been launched to highlight the decline of UK mammals.

The Royal Mail have created a range of stamps showing animals that are under threat in the UK. Animals include water voles, hedgehogs, whales, dormice, bats, otters and polecats.

According to the Mammal Society, Britain is home to over 60 species of mammals and whilst some have thrived in recent years, others have seen their populations decline. A loss of habitat caused by factors such as pollution, a growth in house and road building and more intensively managed farmland are said to be the main contributors.

The series of stamps have been released to coincide with the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB), a United Nations conservation initiative.

Dr Robert Bloomfield, UK co-ordinator of the IYB, said "these stamps illustrate that even some of the most loved UK species, which we consider common or familiar, are under threat."

Photo traps provide stunning pictures of the Scottish wildcat

This fascinating photo is just one of many captured of the notorious Scottish wildcat.

The photographs are being taken as part of a new research project in the Highlands which aims to get a better insight into these secretive yet endangered animals. The Scottish wild cat is one of the last remaining large predators in Scotland and conservationists believe the project will prevent the species from being wiped out.

As part of the work being undertaken in Cairngorms National Park, specialist camera equipment, known as photo-traps, have been attached to trees in the area. Motion detectors and infra-red technology allows the camera to take pictures of passing animals over a long period of time.

Despite being in it's early stages, the cameras have already taken impressive images of the cats along with other animals in the park including golden eagles.

Dr David Hetherington, of Cairngorms National Park Authority and leader of the project, told BBC Scotland "these camera traps are an excellent way of us getting a much better insight into where wildcats live, when they're active, and what habitat they are using."

Experts believe the wildcat population has fallen to just 400 and that inter-breeding with domestic cats could be the main problem. That is why they are encouraging cat owners to get their pets neutered.

Dr Hetherington explained "The major threat to wildcats these days is hybridisation, or inter-breeding, with domestic cats. Although they are quite different and have a completely different temperament, they are actually quite closely related genetically to domestic cats so they can produce fertile hybrids."

He continues " if that continues we are going to lose our pure Scottish wildcat."

New hope for most endangered rhinos

The Sumatran rhino is the most endangered species of rhino in the world but new footage has shown that they could be breeding.

The World Wildlife Fund said that the footage was evidence that the rare rhinoceros's, often labeled the 'hairy rhino' due to their hairy body, were breeding on Borneo Island.

Raymond Alfred from the WWF said that a camera set up in a forest near Malaysia's Sabah state captured stills of one female rhinoceros which appeared to be pregnant. The pictures taken in February are the third piece of evidence since 2007 suggesting that species might be breeding in the wild.

Despite the uncertainty about the rhino's condition, Mr Alfred said "based on the shape and size of the body and stomach it would appear that the rhino is pregnant". These pictures are the first of a wild Sumatran rhino thought to be pregnant and is very good news after the initial failure of the breeding-in-captivity programme for these critically endangered animals. The gestation for these animals can be around 15 to 16 months and on average a mother gives birth to one calf every three years.


The Sumatran rhino is the smallest species of rhinoceros and is poached for it's horns which are used in Chinese medicine. Deforestation has also become a huge factor in their decline and Mr Alfred says the area must be protected from logging activity. In the last 15 years their numbers have fallen 50% with an estimated 200 still in the wild. Conservationists have warned that this rare species could face extinction in the next 10 years.

The Year of the Tiger

The WWF have outlined their plans to make this year a good year for Tigers beginning with the launch of their new campaign.

The WWF, formally the World Wildlife Fund, raises awareness for all kinds of environmental and conservational issues affecting the natural world.

Their campaign is being launched to coincide with the Chinese year of the tiger and will hopefully help to reach their goal of doubling the world's tiger population by 2022 (the next year of the tiger). The WWF are working with world leaders in order to ensure the protection of the species and a global tiger summit will be held in Vladivostok in September this year where this goal will be the main focal point.

The WWF have released an interactive map in advance of the campaign launch which outlines the top ten dangers currently facing tiger's. Forest devastation, poaching and trafficking of tiger bones and skin are being named as some of the main reasons why the global population of wild tigers has dropped from 100,000 at the start of the 20th Century to as low as 3,200 at present. Climate change is also believed to be becoming more of a threat as it is damaging to tiger's habitats.

Head of species at WWF-UK, Diane Walkington, says "Since the last year of the tiger in 1998, tigers have lost 40 percent of their habitat. She continues "Tigers are being persecuted across the globe. They are being poisoned, trapped, snared, shot and squeezed out their homes."

Diane believes the new campaign will really help make a difference. "With 13 countries where wild tigers survive now pledging that they will work towards doubling wild tiger numbers by 2022, there has never been such an ambitious, high-level of commitment from governments to work to save this iconic species".