Tigers could be 'flushed' out of Sumatra
15th February 2012
According to the WWF, 65 countries worldwide have flushed five million acres of the Sumatran rainforest down the drain by using unsustainable paper products
Every year, over seven million tons of paper and pulp is cleaved out of the Sumatran tiger's habitat for the manufacturing of paper-based products such as coffee cups, printing and toilet paper. Already half the Indonesian forest cover has been lost since 1985, of which a staggering five million acres has been attributed to paper and pulp industries.
Unsustainable paper and pulp products from Indonesia litter British shelves, often unbranded or without their origins identified on the packaging.
Deforestation is one of the largest contributing factors of the Sumatran tiger's demise; conservationists estimate there are only 400-500 Sumatran tigers left in the wild.
Also highly threatened by habitat destruction are orang-utans, clouded leopards and the critically endangered Sumatran rhinoceros.
Maintaining tiger habitat is crucial to the survival of the species. Once tiger landscapes are fragmented or completely deforested, individuals wonder in search of new territories. Often tigers relocate near human settlements, causing an array of human-tiger conflicts.
Award-winning wildlife photographer and tiger conservationist Paul Goldstein comments on the issue: “When you look at endangered predators like the Sumatran tiger, to assess their chances of survival you immediately have to look at the country's government – along with China, Indonesia's sits pretty close to the bottom of the ethical pile. Palm nut oil, deforestation and poaching, as well as high government complicity are far bigger players than conservation so I fear for the future.”
"However there is an olive branch, as there is with orang-utans, as there are still conservationists (frankly saints) that are prepared to take on these environmental butchers to save these magnificent predators.” Goldstein added.
Responsibly sourced paper products are available to consumers in the UK and further afield; these help stop deforestation of the Sumatran tiger's home. If the FSC logo (The Forest Stewardship Council) is on the packaging, you can trust that the raw materials have been ethically sourced. Alternatively, recycled products ensure healthier rainforests worldwide.
This year Paul Goldstein will be running the Brighton marathon, London marathon and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro – all with a 9ft tiger costume on his back! He'll also be hosting an event at the Royal Geographical Society on 12 April – to highlight the plight of the world's tigers and how we can save them. Find out more here.
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