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English/Nat More than 50 wildlife experts from around the world have gathered in Bangkok for the Second International Conference to Assess the Status of Tigers. No delegate needed reminding that the world's remaining five-thousand or so wild tigers are heading rapidly for extinction. The World Wildlife Fund for Nature say that every day at least one more tiger is killed by poachers .On those figures, some breeds of tiger will be extinct by the end of the century. There was a sense of urgency about this conference. Delegates stressed there was little time for any more policy mistakes or delay. The tiger is losing its natural habitat because of economic development and deforestation. In areas without development, the poacher becomes the problem. A dead tiger can fetch around ten-thousand (US) dollars on the black market. Most of the animal's body parts are sold as ingredients for ancient Chinese medicines. This dried tiger penis, thought to have aphrodisiac properties, sells for around four- thousand dollars. Ironically, by 1998, the Chinese year of the Tiger, the South China breed will be nearing extinction. SOUNDBITE: I'm hoping that in the year of the tiger the traditional Chinese medicine community will ask users to stop using tiger products until the tiger numbers recover. SUPER CAPTION: Elizabeth Kemf, World Wildlife Fund Rather than changing cultural habits, some Asian experts believe the only way to save the tiger is to allow the establishment of Tiger farms. This farm in Thailand has bred 35 animals and would like to 'farm' tiger products. The Thai government has refused Sriracha Farm permission to kill any of the animals. But the argument goes on. SOUNDBITE: If you want to relieve the pressure on wild tigers being hunted you need to set up a captive breeding operation and then if you want to purchase a tiger you can get it from the breeding operation. No need to get it from the wild. SUPER CAPTION: Dr Parntep Ratanakorn, Veterinarian and Thai Wildlife advisor Experts at the conference are deeply divided over the issue of tiger farming. The World Wildlife Fund has said it wants more research into the 'economic viability' of such schemes. The Indian delegation had more than sentimental reasons for opposing commercial tiger farms. SOUNDBITE: Tiger farming should be banned because it would accelerate the trade in tigers and will affect the tigers in India, where 60% of wild tigers live. If any other country starts legally farming tigers it will destroy the Indian tiger, because there will be 100 more people jumping in to compete. It will give us the biggest problem to protect our country's tigers. SUPER CAPTION: Valmik Thapar, Wildlife Institute of India All those at the three-day conference agree the wild tiger is on a fast track to extinction. All agree an action plan is needed now. The problem is trying to get consensus within the conference and then the backing of the twelve Asian nations where the tiger still roams free. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/2491dce0dd2861c1d501846d2e0b666f Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork