There’s Tigers in the news. Remember Karl Schembri’s “Il-Manifest tal-Killer”? Was it a tiger or a lion that escaped the travelling circus in that book? Apparently it’s not circuses we have to look out for but geniuses who keep tigers in the attic. As China introduces new regulation on the trade of tiger related products the outlook for the cats in stripes does not look good. Soon the only tiger you’ll be able to speak of is the one looking out of your box of Frosties.Here’s today’s Times (UK) editorial:
The world’s dwindling tiger colonies are facing yet another threat, this time from China’s plan to sanction the use of lawfully sourced tiger pelts. The fear is that, by loosening its ban on the trading of any tiger parts, China will spur poaching in India, which is home to the largest remaining wild tiger population. China argues that while it may be host to only 30 or 40 tigers living in the wild, it has 5,000 more that have been reared on farms. Such farms were created as tourist attractions, but few doubt that their owners hope to use the cats to produce health tonics. Tiger bone wine is especially prized as a pick-me-up. Though pricey, it grows ever more affordable the richer the Chinese get.
Who knows? Maybe the tiger-keeper in Malta is just following his conservationist instinct and this is his very own personal bid to save the species (or part thereof).
Or maybe it’s just an idiot who thinks it’s cool to keep a Bengal tiger under lock and key.
3 replies on “Tiger News”
that was a fast a(de)scent from limbo …
still in limbo… still in limbo… doesn’t take much to comment on some news… but still in limbo
First, it was a warehouse not an attic. (“Ma tarax! Biex it-tigra tagħmel għall-mara meta tkun fuq il-bejt tonxor!”).
Second, while it may be true that it ain’t “cool” to keep a Bengal tiger in Malta, it is definitely not an “idiot” who then keeps it “under lock and key”.
That said, may you draw the “Get out of Limbo free” card.