Wild tigers, the embodiment of the Clemson spirit, face extinction.
Habitat destruction, human conflict, poaching and climate change have reduced the global population of wild tigers to just 3,200, barely equal to the number of freshmen at Clemson.
Through groundbreaking research and passionate advocacy, the Clemson family is rallying to protect tigers and tiger habitat from further destruction. Clemson faculty and students are shaping international tiger conservation policy, as well.
Clemson will host Tigers Always Conservation Week September 23–27 to bring attention to the plight of wild tigers and help ensure their survival.
The weeklong series of tiger-centric happenings will be highlighted by the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Global Tiger Forum secretary general Dr. Rajesh Gopal and Clemson University President James P. Clements.
A Creative Inquiry team led by Clemson’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism has partnered with the Global Tiger Forum to bring global awareness to the plight of wild tigers, and Clemson’s Institute for Parks provides tiger conservation training and tiger habitat connectivity analysis to the tiger range country of Bhutan.
Since its inception in 1997, Clemson’s Tigers for Tigers (T4T) Club has been on the leading edge of tiger conservation through an array of innovative initiatives, including establishing the National Tigers for Tigers Coalition and creating a spring semester course on Biodiversity and Conservation in India that involves overseas trips to learn about tigers.
“Wild tigers are in dire need of protection from poaching and habitat destruction,” Clements said. “Because of our expertise in wildlife biology, conservation and natural resource management, as well as our passion for our tiger mascot, it makes sense for Clemson to join the Global Tiger Forum in the fight to preserve this iconic animal.”
