vlad.tribnet.com / Issue #167 / Opinion / Reading article...

It is encouraging, at first glance, to see that officials have appointed a special police force to preserve the endangered Siberian tiger. The rare and beautiful animal is on the brink of extinction, and some hunters flagrantly violate Russian law in hunting the creature. In fact, talk to a rural hunter at random, and you may well hear a story about killing tigers.

Nevertheless, the groups most dedicated to preserving the tiger are the ones who are most concerned about the new enforcement agency. The money needed to protect the tiger would be better spent on existing agencies, they say.

They have a point. When resources are stretched thin, another police force isn’t necessarily the best idea. Still, it’s good to see that the government cares enough to protect the tiger. Let’s hope the new agency has some success in achieving a goal that has so far proven elusive.