Decision directed to Parties
All Parties in whose territories there are facilities breeding or housing tigers for purposes other than conservation breeding programmes are encouraged to consider taking the following methodical approach regarding these facilities to improve their conservation and educational value, as well as to put an end to the activities of facilities that do not have conservation or educational value, fail to comply with regulations and pose a risk regarding parts and derivatives from these animals entering illegal trade, in accordance with their domestic legislation:
a) identify facilities keeping tigers of genetic and conservation value and engage these facilities in coordinated conservation breeding programmes for such animals;
b) identify facilities keeping tigers in captivity that are suitably located to ensure public access and that meet husbandry and welfare conditions based on national and international guidelines, and implement support programmes where needed (for example providing guidance on development of educational materials, signs and posters), for these facilities to transform into facilities with educational value that are raising awareness benefitting conservation of tigers in the wild, including bringing the attention of the public to illegal trade and the need to combat it;
c) implement and enforce measures to reduce the number of tigers in facilities that are not contributing to conservation of wild tigers or have limited educational value, by restricting breeding of tigers (e.g., by separating male and female tigers, sterilization or other disposal measures) within these facilities and addressing the risks of inbreeding by requiring genetic monitoring, as well as restricting these facilities from acquiring any new animals;
d) taking into consideration Decision 14.69 that directs Parties to restrict the captive population to a level supportive only to conserving wild tigers and that tigers should not be bred for trade in their parts and derivatives, prohibit the establishment of new facilities keeping tigers in captivity with narrow exemptions where warranted;
e) assess the need for rescue centres, sanctuaries, or other disposal measures, etc. as may be required due to the phase-out of intensive tiger operations;
f) taking into consideration the recommendations of the CITES Big Cats Task Force outcome document, review management practices and controls to regulate activities of facilities keeping tigers in captivity to ensure that they are adequate to prevent tiger specimens from entering illegal trade from or through such facilities, including licensing of such facilities, accurate record keeping of individual tigers, regular inspections and well-regulated disposal of tigers that die in captivity and handling of carcasses, including their destruction; and
g) report on the implementation of this approach and, in the case of relevant countries, report on the implementation of the country-specific recommendations made by the Standing Committee at its 77th and 78th meetings, in their response to the Notification to the Parties issued by the Secretariat on Asian big cats (Felidae spp.) to facilitate reporting as required in Resolution Conf. 12.5 (Rev. CoP20) on Conservation of and trade in tigers and other Appendix-I Asian big cat species.