Did you know today is Global Tiger Day?

It’s a year since the launch of the Wild Tiger Health Centre (WTHC) website – a one-stop hub for tiger specialists working in all tiger range states. If you need information on tiger disease, how to deal with conflict animals, clinical diagnostic guidance or help with rehabilitation techniques,you will find it all, and much more, here.

What is so special about WTHC?

We asked Dr John Lewis, the inspiration behind the project,what’s so special about it:

“I’ve had a lot of practical experience with tigers – I’ve met a lot of people in the tiger world – I’ve worked with a lot of people in different countries. The WTHC is about handing over the experience and contacts I’ve gained over the years. It’s about making sure all that information and that network of contacts isn’t lost. Most importantly, we’re engaging more people, especially the next generation, by giving them a baseline of information, and encouraging them to network with other people in the field.  That’s never really happened before.

Of course, I love going to Russia – or India or Indonesia – to work with tigers in the field! But this is just as important. Ten years ago,global internet access wasn’t sufficiently developed to make this kind of resource universally accessible. That’s changed. Short-run, expensive textbooks, even where they exist, aren’t affordable for many working in the field, and they quickly go out of date. The WTHC by contrast is constantly evolving, regularly updated, and free.  

I’ve plenty of ideas for how we can develop it further – perhaps by having people feed in comparative data on disease in particular range states for example. There is huge scope to develop it as a unique resource for those working with tigers, and to build similar models for other species of course. You could call it my legacy to tiger conservation!”

Inspired?

You can keep WTHC up to date by supporting Dr Lewis.

Find out more about the Wild Tiger Health Centre.

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