Tigers to be reintroduced to Cambodian wild

The aim of the campaign is to double the wild tiger population by 2022. (Reuters photo)

Tiger Beer has donated $1 million to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to help fight the illegal tiger trade in a scheme that will see tigers reintroduced to Cambodia's Eastern Plains Landscape.

The Khmer Times reports that the money will go toward protecting tigers in Cambodia and 12 other countries where tiger populations have dropped by more than 96% in the last century.

There are now as few as 3,890 wild tigers left worldwide.

The 3890Tigers campaign is part of a six-year global partnership between Tiger Beer and WWF in support of Tx2, a commitment by the governments of 13 countries to double the world’s wild tiger population by 2022.

As one of the 13 target countries, Cambodia has committed to doubling its population by reintroducing wild tigers to the Eastern Plains Landscape, which includes Mondulkiri Protected Forest and Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary.

According to WWF, the area forms part of the tiger landscape with the highest potential for recovery in Asia, due to its largely intact dry forest habitat.

Chhith Sam Ath, country director of WWF Cambodia, said tigers are part of the national heritage.

“To bring tigers back to Cambodia would be the biggest conservation feat of its kind and would support the conservation efforts of the whole landscape,” he said.

He added that challenges including poaching, snaring, illegal logging, mining and other unsustainable development needed to be overcome to make the Eastern Plains Landscape a world-class protected area before releasing tigers into the wild.

Under the campaign, the beer brand will remove the tiger from its logo and introduce a limited-edition design on select packaging without the tiger for the first time in 84 years, symbolising the threat of wild tigers disappearing.

The public are also invited to visit 3890Tigers.com, upload a selfie and choose an artist to collaborate with to create one-of-a-kind selfie art.

The idea is that by sharing the selfie art on social networks with the hashtag #3890Tigers, people will pledge to help fight the illegal tiger trade and stop demand for products with tiger parts.

“We cannot imagine a world without tigers and it is an honour for us to partner with WWF in support of their conservation efforts,” said Roland Bala, managing director of Tiger Beer Cambodia. “If tigers disappear, it would not only have an environmental impact, but it would also be a real loss for our culture.”

He added that tigers symbolised strength, courage and power and had featured in art throughout the centuries.

“It is why we have chosen art as a way to express this together with our consumers,” he said.

“Through 3890Tigers, we are bringing people and artists together through technology and our goal is to use art to empower a generation of young people to make a stand against the illegal tiger trade.”