Ahead of the third inter-Ministerial Global Tiger Forum (GTF) meeting of 13 tiger range countries, Wildlife Institute of India (WII) hosted a two-day meeting of five tiger range countries, namely Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan and India, last Wednesday and Thursday in Dehradun. The inter Ministerial meeting of GTF is scheduled on April 12 in India.
The meeting discussed the various challenges of tiger conservation. While Nepal discussed its poaching menace arising due to cross border problems, Myanmar focused on tiger decline in the country and loss of habitat. India, on the other hand, showcased its conservation practices leading to tiger growth under the guidance of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
According to sources in the WII, who participated in the meet, India with its highest tiger population showed the way by discussing its various strategies that has led to a steady increase in big cat population. This includes the process of estimation of tiger population, monitoring, success of tiger reintroduction programmes, management effectiveness evaluation of Tiger reserves in India and M-stripes method of ecological monitoring. E-surveillance was launched in Corbett for tiger monitoring and protection for the first time anywhere in the world.
The best practices of India would also be discussed in GTF and analyzed by the participants including ministers, experts and NGO’s of 12 tiger range nations. These include Indonesia, Russia, Cambodia, China amongst others.
Sources in the NTCA further maintained that there are countries like Cambodia and laos which have informally approached India regarding possibilities on tiger reintroduction. They said that details need to be worked out, based on the existing ground situations in their tiger habitats. In countries like Cambodia, tigers have become extinct and it has also sought India’s cooperation to save the situation.