Adopt a Tiger

Only 3,800 tigers remain in the wild.

Tigers are on the brink of extinction. Global populations have plummeted alarmingly by 96%, for all six-remaining subspecies. Three are now extinct. A combination of poaching, illegal captivity, and habitat destruction have contributed to their dwindling numbers, and it shows no signs of slowing down. 

The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation fights for tigers on every battlefield, from the frontline to the world stage. Our commitment to protecting this iconic big cat from the threats driving it towards extinction is absolute. Our mission is to save this adored species – and we can’t do it without you. Animal adoption is a fun and impactful way you can make a difference. Adopt a tiger for just £3 a month, and you’ll be supporting us as we carry out vital work to save this icon of our wild world.  

How Much Does It Cost to Adopt a Tiger

  • Just £3 per month (or £36 per year) could help local community engagement and raise awareness of tigers to achieve effective human wildlife coexistence. 
  • Only £5 per month (or £47 per year) could empower rangers with the skills they need to track and protect vulnerable tiger populations across India and Thailand. 
  • With £10 per month (or £60 per year) undercover investigations into the illegal wildlife trade could be funded bringing tiger trafficking syndicates to justice. 

What’s Included?

  • Adoption Pack: You’ll get a personalised certificate, a species fact sheet and animal bio sheet, a photograph and a copy of our latest Wildlife Matters magazine.
  • Tiger Print: A beautiful sketch of a tiger by David Shepherd’s own granddaughter, talented wildlife artist Emily Lamb.
  • Tiger Toy: Optional hand-knitted tiger toy made by Little Ndaba, a women’s community group in Zambia.

Our adoption packs are only available to be posted within the UK. Alternatively you can opt to receive a digital adoption pack via sent email (print and toy not included).

Why are Tigers Endangered? 

Illegal trade in tiger parts

The illegal wildlife trade is a $23 billion-dollar industry threatening the survival of species around the world. 

Habitat Loss:  

Since 1950, the world’s population has tripled and habitat loss is now the main threat to 85% of all species. 

Climate Change

Climate change poses one of the largest threats to tiger populations in the 21st Century and, if left unchecked, could have serious implications to their survival. 

Human-Tiger Conflict

Prey and habitat are diminishing, forcing tigers to kill livestock in order to survive and resulting in retaliatory killings from farmers and communities. 

How Tiger Adoption Helps 

Adopting a tiger helps fund projects working with local communities to monitor tiger movements, reduce poaching, and raise awareness on the dangers of tiger extinction. In addition, your support can help us:  

  • Fight for a total ban in all tiger parts as well as the closure of captive tiger breeding facilities.
  • Protect key tiger habitats across Russia, India and Thailand by supporting wildlife rangers.
  • Engage local communities living with tigers through innovative activities and education programmes.

Meet our Tiger species ambassador, Ussuri

adopt a tiger

Ussuri is a female Amur tiger, the heaviest of the six surviving tiger subspecies. Globally, the Amur tiger clocks in as the largest of all the big cats. Ussuri, along with other Amur tigers, lives in the frigid Birchwood forests of the Russian Far East. Like all Amur tigers, her thick coat means she is well adapted to life in the snow and can survive in freezing cold temperatures.

Ussuri gets her names from the Ussuri River, which flows along the Sino-Russian border – the last stronghold habitat for Amur tigers. There are ~450 Amur tigers alive in the wild today, with 95% of their population persisting in eastern Russia.

Thanks to your generous support, DSWF is working closely with our dedicated ground-based conservation partners in Russia to protect the world’s remaining Amur tigers. By taking a tiger adoption with DSWF you are ensuring rangers receive professional training, and essential equipment vital for successful patrols to keep Amur tigers, like Ussuri, safe.

Why your adoption is so important

Our late founder, wildlife artist and conservationist, David Shepherd CBE said: “You can never build another tiger, but you always build another Taj Mahal.” In less than a century, wild tigers have lost 93% of their historical range. There are now more tigers in captivity than there are in the wild. For such a powerful apex predator, it is a tragic to think that we must now differentiate between wild and commercial captive tigers.

DSWF is fighting tooth and claw from grassroot level to the world-stage to protect this iconic big cat from causes that are driving it to extinction. In addition your adoption supports DSWF’s vital tiger conservation work protecting Amur, Bengal and Indochinese tigers in their homes. You can ensure tigers have a brighter future by taking out a tiger adoption today.

We aim to dispatch all orders within 7 working days. Parcels are sent 2nd class untracked with Royal Mail. International delivery is unavailable. Postage costs will be added to your order (in the first payment only if you have opted for direct debit). Postage costs are £1.65 (without toy) and £3.00 (with toy).