End Tiger Poaching

Tiger
© KARIN SAUCEDO

Threats to Tigers

Poaching is the number one threat to the tiger’s survival and could drive this iconic big cat to extinction.

Tigers are hunted by poachers to meet demand from the $20 billion-a-year illegal wildlife trade. They are mercilessly targeted for their body parts, including their skins, bones, teeth and other organs.

Every part of a tiger is sold on the black market. Tiger parts are used in traditional medicines believed to treat ailments from arthritis to epilepsy, with the highest demand coming from China. Skins and other parts are also used as décor, signaling status and wealth across Asia.

As recently as 100 years ago, upwards of 100,000 wild tigers roamed across Asia. Today, only about 4,500 remain in the wild. This catastrophic decline is driven by a range of threats, including poaching for the illegal wildlife trade.

Hope for Tigers Lives On

In the video below, learn about the biggest threats facing tigers, hear from a former poacher turned protector, and discover why Panthera's Tigers Forever program is the global standard in tiger conservation.

How Panthera is Helping

Panthera combines cutting-edge science, technology, and law enforcement to stop poachers and protect tiger populations.

  • Equipping park rangers with leading technology, including Panthera’s PoacherCam, which alerts law enforcement teams in real time to illegal human entry into protected areas.
  • Maximizing global anti-trafficking efforts to promote better coordination and information sharing amongst governments, conservation partners, and global institutions.
  • Training partners on the ground in the latest law enforcement and intelligence-gathering techniques, as well as methods to safely disable wildlife traps and remove snares.
  • Measuring results and progress to understand what interventions are most effective, and disseminating lessons learned across organizations, geographies and species.

He was attacked by a tiger...

Nearly 20 years later, he’s still saving them.

In 2009, while studying tigers in the Russian Far East, a 400-pound Siberian tiger burst from the shadows, knocking Dr. John Goodrich, Panthera’s Chief Scientist, to the ground. In that instant, he was seconds from death.

John survived — and just two weeks later, he was back in the field, determined to protect the very species that nearly ended his life. His extraordinary story, shared around the world, exemplifies the courage and commitment driving Panthera’s mission: to not only save wild cats from extinction, but to ensure they thrive for generations to come.

John Shares His Incredible Tiger Experience

John Goodrich

Help End Threats Facing Wild Cats

Your support empowers Panthera to fight poaching, protect habitats, and give tigers and all wild cats a future. Every gift helps rangers, strengthens conservation programs, and advances global efforts to keep tigers and other wild cats thriving.

Match in Effect! All donations to Panthera will be matched dollar-for-dollar by The Ayers Wild Cat Conservation Trust through December 31, 2025, up to $500,000. All gifts are tax-deductible.

Want to learn more about tigers? Explore their world!