Travel
Sites Visit
Goa, Karnataka,
Kerala, Tamil
Nadu, Andhra Pradesh in
South India, Delhi, Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh, Himachal
Pradesh in North India, Assam, Bengal,
Sikkim in East India |
| |
121
breeding tigers in Nepal spells fresh hope Washington:
Conservationists worrying about the fate of the majestic tiger can now breathe
a sign of relief as about 121 breeding tigers are estimated to have been found
in Nepal. The figures announced by the Nepal Government's Department of National
Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) shows the presence of 121 (100 - 194)
breeding tigers in the wild within the four protected areas of Nepal. The 2008
tiger population estimate was jointly implemented by the DNPWC, Department of
Forests (DOF), WWF, National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) with support
from Save The Tiger Fund (STF), WWF-US, WWF-UK, WWF International and US Fish
and Wildlife Service (USFWS). "To obtain reliable population estimates of wide
ranging species like the tiger, it is important to undertake the survey simultaneously
in all potential habitats," said Dr. Rinjan Shrestha, Conservation Biologist with
WWF Nepal. Previous studies had been undertaken in different time periods and
at different spatial scales. "To derive information on both abundance and distribution
of tigers, the current survey employed two methods - Camera Trapping method inside
the protected areas and Habitat Occupancy survey both inside and outside the protected
areas," said Dr. Shrestha. "The tiger numbers have increased in Chitwan but decreased
in Bardia and Shuklaphanta," said Anil Manandhar, Country Representative, WWF
Nepal. "In spite of the decade long insurgency, encroachment, poaching and illegal
trade, the present numbers is a positive sign, but we can't remain unworried.
The declining numbers in western Nepal has posed more challenges, needing a concerted
effort to save this charismatic endangered species focusing on anti-poaching and
illegal wildlife trade," he added. The Government of Nepal has approved and launched
the 'Tiger conservation Action Plan 2008- 2012'. A comprehensive management plan
has been devised in which the target is to increase the population of tigers by
10 per cent within the first 5 year period of the plan implementation. "Tigers
can not be saved by the effort of a single individual or a single organization,"
said Gopal Prasad Upadhyay, Director General, DNPWC. "The transboundary relation
with India needs to be strengthened further and all organizations should work
together to conserve tigers," he added. -July
28, 2009 Go
To Top | |
|