|
Tiger Range Countries
The 13 Tiger Range Countries (TRCs) are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam.
The Importance of Tigers
Wild tigers are an apex predator, an indicator of environmental quality in the landscapes where they occur. Healthy tiger populations signify healthy numbers of species lower in the food chain, indicating proper habitat maintenance, and potential for the maintenance of valuable environmental services.
Tiger Status and Trends
Over the past century, tiger numbers have plummeted. A widespread population of over 100,000 animals has dropped to less than 4,000 and three of nine tiger subspecies are already extinct. The world's remaining tigers occupy just seven percent of their former range and face a very real possibility of extinction in the wild.
A Bold Response
In response to this dire situation, in June 2008, the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the International Tiger Coalition (ITC), and the Smithsonian Institution launched the Global Tiger Initiative (GTI) to save the world’s remaining wild tigers from extinction. This bold initiative has brought together governments, non-governmental organizations, scientists, and various other institutions to improve our understanding of the threats to tigers and to develop transformative conservation strategies to halt declines and recover populations throughout their range.
Key milestones in the initiative are shown in the table below.
Responses/Activities |
Targets/Outputs |
In April 2009 An International Workshop on A Forgotten Crisis: Arresting Wildlife Depletion in Asia through Strengthened Regional Cooperation and Effective Partnerships was held to highlight initiatives on wildlife law enforcement. The workshop was organized by the Royal Thai Government (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and Royal Thai Police), in partnership with the World Bank, Save the Tiger Fund, USAID, FREELAND, TRAFFIC and other partners.
|
A consensus was developed on the priority issues and challenges facing Asia’s wildlife conservation community. Participating agencies agreed to expand consumer and public awareness, tighten wildlife crime enforcement, support community sustainability incentives, strengthen capacity for habitat protection and management, promote smart and green infrastructure, and increase conservation funding levels.
|
 |
In October 2009 The Kathmandu Global Tiger Workshop was organized by the Nepalese government to identify and consolidate innovative strategies for tiger conservation. The workshop identified priority short and long-term activities for the conservation of tigers; enumerated policies and practical measures for the integration of tiger conservation into national development objectives; emphasized principles of international co-operation and harmonization of natural, regional and trans-boundary management; and a developed a set of urgent actions to stop further decline of wild tiger population.
|
The output of the Workshop was a global Strategy for Tiger Conservation, which forms the basis of the 2010 Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation and the Global Tiger Summit.
|
|
January 2010: The Royal Thai Government will host an ASIA Ministerial Conference (AMC) on Tiger Conservation: Enforcement, Trade, Landscapes, and Financing to build on the preceding series of initiatives.
|
Ministers and senior officers will review priorities and refine regional and national wildlife protection strategies presented at Kathmandu Global Tiger Workshop, while preparing them for endorsement at the 2010 Year of the Tiger Summit.
Expected outputs from the conference will include political endorsement of critical national and international actions and specific financing strategies to ensure that these actions can be carried out.
|
|
October 2010: A2010 Year of the Tiger Summit will bring together heads of state to endorse national and international tiger conservation commitments.
|
Activities defined and initiated in the preceding meetings will be endorsed at the highest level.
|
| Information of The 1st AMC |
Host: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand
Organizers: Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand, Global Tiger Initiative, and Save the Tiger Fund
Supporters: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand and the World Bank
Venue: Hyatt Regency, Hua Hin, Prachaup Khiri Khan Province, Thailand. Hua Hin is approximately 300 kilometers from Bangkok.
Dates: 27-30 January 2010
Participants:
- Ministers and senior officers from Asian tiger range states and representatives of relevant agencies
- Senior representatives of multilateral or bilateral organizations and Technical tiger experts
- International and Asia-based NGO’s working on tiger/wildlife conservation
Objectives:
- further update National Tiger Action Plans in coordination with law enforcement, financial, and land use planning agencies based on the outcomes of the Global Tiger Workshop, Kathmandu;
- identify political, management, and financial instruments, including support from the international community, needed to implement National Tiger Action Plans;
- define the key elements of a Global Tiger Stabilization and Recovery Program; and
- demonstrate leadership by launching priority actions without waiting for the Global Tiger Summit.
Expected Outputs:
- Political endorsement of the Pattaya Manifesto and a plan for its implementation
- Political endorsement of consolidated priority programs developed at Kathmandu Global Tiger Workshop and plans for their implementation
- Draft outlines of national and regional implementation plans on tiger conservation to be endorsed at the 2010 Tiger Summit
- Pilot projects initiated for implementation at the regional level
- Uptake of tiger-friendly investment filters by key international financing bodies.
Registration: Invited only
|
