Indonesia’s tigers are on the brink of extinction -- and one of the world’s biggest timber companies (APP) has just been caught red-handed illegally slashing rare trees from the tigers’ home. Let’s make sure the Indonesian President and the Ministry of the Forestry stop these crimes and save the tigers -- before it is to late. Sign the petition now:

Indonesia’s tigers are on the brink of extinction and unless we take urgent action now, they could be gone forever.

There’s only 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild -- large scale logging has wiped out their habitats, decimating their populations. Yet, despite strict controls against logging, one of the world’s biggest timber companies (APP) has just been caught red-handed illegally slashing rare Ramin trees from the tigers’ home, an officially protected area. Under Indonesian forest laws, the Ministry of the Forestry has a legal responsibility to seize illegal timber and investigate the crimes. But they’re backing away, claiming there isn’t sufficient evidence.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he’d dedicate his presidency to stopping deforestation -- let’s hold him to his word with a global appeal urging him to ensure the Forestry Ministry seizes illegally chopped timber, fully investigates the APP case, and brings all wrongdoers to justice. Sign the petition below and together we can stop the timber companies killing tigers.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_tigers_a/?vl

Indonesia’s forests are the second largest tropical forests in the world, home to thousands of amazing and vulnerable species, and a vital lung for our planet, each year absorbing millions of tonnes of carbon pollution. But logging is destroying them – putting endangered species like tigers, elephants and orangutans under extreme pressure. Already 2 out of 3 of Indonesia’s tiger species -- the Javan and the Baliense -- are extinct and unless we act now, the Sumatran tigers could join them in being wiped from existence.    

Reports suggest that nearly three quarters of all timber harvested in Indonesia is illegal and that through the loss of tax revenues, illegal logging has a huge economic and social impact, causing an estimated economic loss of USD 4 billion annually. For the criminal gangs running these operations and the businesses that back them, the rewards are great. In fact, so much money can be made that illegal loggers can often buy off local and government officials to turn a blind eye – out of 129 illegal forestry violations since 2009, only 33 have been prosecuted and 21 of those have been acquitted.

It’s good news that President Yudhoyono is keen to clamp down on the criminals dodging the laws and destroying the country’s forests, but his words must be matched with action. Let’s give him the global support he needs and pile pressure on the Ministry of Forestry to take the powerful APP timber company to task over its illegal ways. This is the defining moment for the remaining Sumatran tigers -- it’s up to us to make sure they’re protected above the profits of criminals. Sign the petition now:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_tigers_a/?vl  

All around the world our species are under threat, the human impact on the planet’s animals and plants sometimes seems relentless. But we can make a difference. In the past, Avaaz members campaigned to help protect elephants, saved bees from deadly pesticides, and safeguarded tuna from overfishing. In the world most of us want, endangered species aren’t allowed to go extinct because of short term thinking. Today, we can take a step closer to that world and help save the last of Indonesia’s tigers.  

With hope,

Iain, Allison, Emma, Antonia, Stephanie, Wen-Hua, and the whole Avaaz team

More information:

Indonesia's tiger habitat pulped for paper, investigation shows (The Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/mar/01/indonesia-tiger-habitat-pulp-paper-greenpeace

The Ramin Paper Trail: Asia Pulp & Paper Under Investigation (Greenpeace)
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/publications/Campaign-reports/Forests-Reports/The-Ramin-Paper-Trail/

Investigation following new evidence against APP (WWF)
http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?203847/Investigation-following-new-evidence-against-APP

Indonesia’s leader says he will dedicate final years of his presidency to protect rainforest (Forest Blog)
http://blog.cifor.org/4271/indonesia%E2%80%99s-leader-says-he-will-dedicate-final-years-of-his-presidency-to-protect-rainforest/#.T2Dat9FSQ7Y

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by http://uk.mg40.mail.yahoo.com/neo/launch?.rand=asago5b1u2s1eon: 15th March 2012