[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 680 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 680

 Supporting international tiger conservation efforts and the upcoming 
             Global Tiger Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 17, 2010

   Mr. Kerry (for himself, Mr. Bingaman, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Cardin, Mr. 
Whitehouse, and Mr. Merkley) submitted the following resolution; which 
           was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Supporting international tiger conservation efforts and the upcoming 
             Global Tiger Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Whereas wild tiger populations have dwindled from approximately 100,000 at the 
        beginning of the 20th century to as few as 3,200 in 2010, and only 
        approximately 1,000 wild tigers are breeding females;
Whereas tigers now occupy a mere 7 percent of the habitat that tigers 
        historically have occupied;
Whereas poaching, illegal wildlife trade, habitat conversion, depletion of prey 
        base, conflict between humans and wildlife, and other pressures continue 
        to threaten the last wild tigers;
Whereas the remaining tiger habitat in Asia supports some of the richest 
        biodiversity and some of the poorest human populations;
Whereas the remaining tiger habitat benefits local human populations by 
        providing watersheds and buffers against natural disaster and 
        contributing to livelihoods;
Whereas the remaining tiger habitat in Asia represents some of the largest 
        intact storehouses of terrestrial carbon on Earth, containing an average 
        of 3\1/2\ times more carbon than areas outside of tiger habitat;
Whereas the tiger, an iconic species worldwide, can act as both a catalyst and a 
        symbol for the conservation of the last great forests of Asia;
Whereas 2010, the ``Year of the Tiger'' in the Chinese calendar and beyond, 
        presents a global opportunity to commit to halting the decline in tigers 
        and to ensuring the doubling of the numbers of tigers by the next ``Year 
        of the Tiger'' in 2022;
Whereas the Government of Russia is hosting the Global Tiger Summit in St. 
        Petersburg, Russia, on November 22 through 24, 2010;
Whereas at the Summit, all 13 countries with remaining wild tiger populations 
        are expected to commit to a Global Tiger Recovery Program;
Whereas the remaining tiger habitat is located in remote transnational areas, 
        providing an opportunity for transboundary cooperation among countries 
        with remaining wild tiger populations;
Whereas countries with remaining wild tiger populations need the support and 
        cooperation of the global community to protect and restore wild tiger 
        populations;
Whereas the United States has been a consistent leader in supporting 
        international tiger conservation; and
Whereas strong United States support for remaining wild tiger populations, the 
        Tiger Summit, and the Global Tiger Recovery Program will be central to 
        the success of tiger conservation efforts: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the goals of the Tiger Summit, as such goals 
        reinforce the interests of the United States in recovering 
        tigers in accordance with the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
        (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation 
        Act of 1994 (16 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.), and the Convention on 
        International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and 
        Flora, done at Washington March 3, 1973 (27 UST 1087; TIAS 
        8249);
            (2) supports the efforts of United States Government 
        agencies to prevent poaching of tigers and to end trafficking 
        in tigers and tiger parts, including through cooperation with 
        the governments of countries with remaining wild tiger 
        populations in training, capacity building, and law 
        enforcement;
            (3) supports the efforts of the United States Government to 
        protect tigers in the wild and the habitat of tigers through 
        direct conservation assistance;
            (4) acknowledges the important role that tiger habitats 
        play in conserving biodiversity, securing forest carbon, 
        protecting critical watersheds, providing buffers against 
        natural disasters, and supporting livelihoods and human well-
        being in countries with remaining wild tiger populations;
            (5) applauds the work of multilateral institutions, 
        governmental, and nongovernmental conservation and 
        environmental organizations working to recover tiger 
        populations in the wild;
            (6) commends the Government of Russia for its leadership in 
        hosting the Tiger Summit, which brings global attention to this 
        important issue and launches the immediate implementation of 
        National Tiger Recovery Priorities in each of the 13 countries 
        with remaining wild tiger populations;
            (7) reaffirms the commitment of the United States 
        Government to tiger conservation;
            (8) encourages the highest level of United States 
        engagement in the Tiger Summit and in the outcomes of the Tiger 
        Summit, including the provision of support to countries with 
        remaining wild tiger populations in implementing the National 
        Tiger Recovery Priorities and the Global Tiger Recovery 
        Program; and
            (9) urges concerted coordination among all relevant United 
        States agencies to provide support to countries with remaining 
        wild tiger populations in a manner that enables United States 
        resources to provide maximum conservation benefits.
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