Approximately 8,900 tigers are currently being held in more than 300 facilities in East and Southeast Asia. This is more than double the estimated wild populations. Yet, these numbers are only rough estimates, and there are significant concerns about captive tiger facilities in other countries, such as Myanmar, South Africa, some EU Member States, and the US, too.  

 A “captive tiger facility of concern,” for the purposes of this document, is a facility that keeps or breeds tigers in captivity with an intent (or reasonable probability) of supplying or directly engaging in the commercial trade in tigers and/or their body parts or derivatives. These facilities, often referred to as "tiger farms," have seen a substantial increase in captive tiger populations over the past 15 years, with operations ranging from a few tigers to more than 1,000 tigers.

Tiger farming not only represents a significant animal welfare problem, but also a conservation problem as it undermines enforcement efforts and helps perpetuate and grow the demand, posing a significant obstacle to the protection and recovery of wild tiger populations. Captive tiger facilities of concern are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and corruption from organised crime and are often in countries with weak legislation and minimal enforcement.

The Roadmap, a joint effort by FOUR PAWS, WWF, EIA, other organisations and NGOs, presents a set of recommendations to phase out captive tiger facilities of concern and prevent the creation or growth of further such facilities. It outlines a strategic plan of action, designed to address the complexities associated with closing these facilities.

Read the full Roadmap here.