October 2025
The Wildlife Justice Commission has contributed to new multi-stakeholder guidance to help governments carry out inspections of facilities keeping or breeding tigers. The guidance was developed together with WWF, Born Free Foundation, the Environmental Investigation Agency UK, the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, Four Paws International, TRACE Wildlife Forensics Network, TRAFFIC, the Zoological Society of London, and other conservation and welfare experts.
The guidance supports authorities in verifying that facilities are not being used for the commercial trade in tigers or their parts, that there is no illicit movement of tigers in or out of sites, and that welfare and safety standards are upheld, whilst working toward or implementing a phase out of non-conservation breeding operations.
It provides practical direction on what to look for and what questions to ask during inspections, covering site and facility suitability, business and husbandry practices, animal welfare, conservation education, and security. It also sets out risk factors that can indicate a “captive tiger facility of concern”: one keeping or breeding tigers with an intent, or reasonable probability, of engaging in the commercial trade in tigers or their derivatives.
This work supports Parties to CITES in implementing Resolution Conf. 12.5 (Rev. CoP19), which calls for robust management, record-keeping, and controls at facilities keeping tigers and other Asian big cats to prevent live animals, parts, and products from entering illegal trade.
