Tiger lovers around the world eagerly await Tuesday for the crucial vote here at the CITES meeting on the Chinese proposal to allow the resumption of trade in tiger derivatives and body parts.

NGO delegates at the conference are hopeful that support from tiger range countries would help to put an end to China’s gamble to resume captive breeding of tigers for trade.

Last week, a coalition of 35 NGOs had unveiled a World’s Largest Tiger Photo mosaic at the ongoing CITES conference in The Hague, Netherlands urging the world leaders that tigers have a healthy future.

The coalition is calling on the Chinese government to reject the pending petition by Tiger farm investors that seeks to overturn the country’s ban, close down the country’s numerous tiger farms and destroy the stockpile of tiger products in these farms.

Currently, a three-member delegation of the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) is at the CITES as part of the NGO coalition to strengthen support against the Chinese

move.

“Poaching a wild tiger will cost much less than raising tiger in captivity which will put tremendous pressure on wild tigers. The declining tiger population in India will get worse if Chinese government allows the trade” said Ashok Kumar, Vice Chairman of WTI.

Experts say that there are nearly 5,000 captive-bred tigers housed in numerous Chinese tiger farms today, which is an emerging threat for tigers in the wild.

“The farm owners are pressuring the Chinese government to lift its successful 14-year ban on domestic trade in tiger bones and products.” Grace Ge Gabriel, Asia Regional Director for IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) said.

Tiger experts believe this would only rekindle demand and open opportunities for criminals trading in products from tigers poached in the wild.

Delegates of 171 countries are meeting at the conference to discuss on a range of issues affecting wildlife.

Recently, the Chinese delegation distributed a position paper at the CITES saying it was maintaining the ban for now; but nevertheless listing the supposed benefits of farmed tiger products.

A Times of India report said today “The Indian delegation already got Nepal’s support on an important document it submitted against China’s proposal to open up farming of captive bred tigers.”

“Russia and China have also agreed to the document which will urge the participating nations to limit captive breeding of tigers to a level which doesn’t harm them in the wild,” the report said.

For now, Tiger lovers around the world keenly wait the decision of the CITES.