Tiger Conservation Status and Trade: The Role of Captive Breeding
29 July 2026
On this World Tiger Day, tigers remain one of the most heavily trafficked big cat species. This briefing is produced by CatByte drawing on Go Insight’s 25-year analysis of the illegal trade in Asian big cats, originally prepared to inform discussions at CITES CoP20 in November 2025.
It focuses specifically on tigers and the role of captive breeding, examining it as a systemic vulnerability in tackling illegal trade, and reflects outcomes agreed at CoP20. It considers how CITES measures apply to captive populations, where regulatory frameworks are working, and where gaps remain, across both tiger range States and non-range States.
What this briefing covers
- Drivers and enablers of trade including captive breeding facilities, commodity analysis, and the substitution and laundering of parts from other species
- Good practice and opportunities examples of legislative progress, enforcement approaches, and areas where existing CITES measures could be strengthened
- Country case studies regulatory approaches to captive tiger breeding in Thailand, the United States, and South Africa, illustrating different challenges and responses
- Trade scale and geography the countries most involved in legal and illegal tiger trade recorded since 2000, and how far trade routes extend beyond range States
- Recommendations for CITES practical suggestions for strengthening implementation of existing Resolutions and Decisions, including those adopted at CoP20