Insights into tiger farming practice and localized tiger farming decline in Nghe An Province, Vietnam

Demand for tiger Panthera tigris parts has contributed to a global decline in tiger populations. Tigers are extirpated entirely from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, and extant populations in Southeast Asia are severely threatened. Across the region, tiger farms have been established for the principal purpose of supplying tigers for consumer demand (e.g. tiger bone glue for medicine). Tiger farms are known to operate within Vietnam and within Nghe An province, the focal area of this study. We interviewed 16 former tiger farmers to understand how they obtained their tigers, how and why they farmed tigers, why they stopped farming tigers and their beliefs around environmental policy, tiger conservation and tiger reintroduction. Tiger cubs were trafficked from Laos and raised by the tiger farmers to adulthood, at which point the tigers were sold to other individuals who slaughtered the tigers for their parts. We found that most of the farmers were aware that tigers are in decline globally and extinct from Vietnam. Farming was perceived as easy and lucrative; however, these farmers were no longer raising tigers because of fears of fines and jail time. The farmers were ambivalent about the current environmental policy around farming, but were supportive of reintroduction and stated their desire to see wild tigers in Vietnam again. Although tiger farms still operate in Nghe An, we find it heartening that proactive enforcement appears to be discouraging individuals from continuing to farm. Our study illustrates the importance of the government’s committment to executing policy as a driver of conservation impact.