Endangered species
> Tigers |
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| Taking action for tigers |
Vietnam | Bhutan | Indochina | India |Thailand | Nepal | Malaysia
Central Vietnam Tiger Corridor - Vietnam
This three-year project, ending in 2002, is in the Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam and Kon Tum provinces in Vietnam. Activities are concentrated on the western districts, covering Phong Dien-Dakrong (proposed) Nature Reserve, Bach Ma National Park, Song Thanh-Dakpring Nature Reserve, Ngoc Linh Quang Nam (proposed) Nature Reserve, Ngoc Linh Kon Tum nature Reserve and Chu Mom Ray Nature Reserve. The corridor is of international importance for the conservation and long-term survival of tigers in the wild and in Vietnam particularly. By protecting the large forest blocks and creating corridors between them, pressure on the important tiger populations that occur within these provinces will be reduced. The project also aims to raise awareness among communities of the importance of biodiversity conservation in general and tiger conservation in particular, and to build the capacity amongst forest guards in anti-poaching and tiger survey techniques to provide knowledge on tiger populations and the threats they face.
Tiger Conservation Programme - Bhutan
Although the Royal Government of Bhutan places strong emphasis on conservation, and the killing of animals is prohibited by national law and religion, tigers in Bhutan face serious threats. Though several ongoing conservation programmes are indirectly connected to tiger conservation, no tiger-specific programmes have been initiated so far.
A five-year tiger conservation proposal was developed and submitted to WWF International for funding. The proposal seeks to start off modest conservation measures for the tiger, its prey species, and habitats, through status surveys and research, increased anti-poaching support, public education, and staff capacity building. The programme has received funding from WWF International for its first-year activities under the Anti-Poaching Programme.
Anti-Poaching Programme - Bhutan
Bhutan's pristine environment provides habitats for many threatened species listed in the IUCN Red Data Book. However, with the lucrative trade in wildlife parts such as bear gall, musk and tiger bone in South Asia, poaching activities pose a serious conservation problem.
Based on field reports, WWF and Forestry Services Division have developed a project to monitor and mitigate poaching and illegal wildlife trade in Bhutan. The anti-poaching teams appear to have been successful. But WWF Bhutan is worried about the long-term sustainability and is trying to build in these costs into the Bhutan Conservation Trust Fund, which WWF helped to establish.
Tiger Conservation in Indochina - Community Involvement
The primary thrust of this new anti-poaching activity at Chu Mom Ray Nature Reserve in Vietnam is to develop the tiger anti-poaching capacity of the newly established forest guard patrols. This will be achieved through training; by providing vehicles, gear and equipment, radios, and uniforms; and by fostering community-based public awareness for tiger conservation. Training in tiger conservation, anti-poaching and forest guard techniques will be provided by WWF at the Cat Tien National Park Forest Guard Training Centre. Vehicle and equipment lists for the anti-poaching patrols have been developed in consultation with the Nature Reserve Management Board (actual need exceeds the funds available for this activity). Local public awareness activities will be developed in cooperation with the local People's Committees and local school system.
Tiger Conservation Programme - India
This programme represents a new effort by the WWF network to respond to the current crisis in tiger conservation in India. It forms the Indian activities for the WWF tiger conservation strategy, which will ultimately touch on all tiger range states. This project builds on previous tiger work by WWF-India. It works with both the government of India (especially the Project Tiger Office) and other Indian NGOs to create suitable conditions for tiger conservation.
The project addresses all the key areas that require strengthening in order to secure the future of tigers:- suppression of the illegal trade in tiger parts;
- strengthening protected areas management and anti-poaching operations;
- improving planning in tiger habitat;
- promoting participatory approaches to conservation;
- conducting surveys and research studies;
- promoting public education and awareness;
- facilitating international collaboration;
- generating additional financial resources for tiger conservation.
Tiger Research and Conservation - Thailand
This will be a detailed study of the ecology of tigers in Thailand and will yield information about their ranging patterns and habitat requirements essential for their proper management and conservation. This project will focus on so-called TCUs (Tiger Conservation Units) which represent the most important remaining stronghold for tigers in Thailand.
Conservation of Biological and Cultural Diversity of Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary - Thailand
The first part of this project aims to improve knowledge and awareness of conservation and the management of endangered and endemic species in the western forest complex, working in partnership with native Karen people and the Royal Forest Department. This will involve:- supporting wildlife research;
- developing a database of species information;
- producing publications, including action plans concerning the western forest complex and the species therein;
implementing training and building capacity to improve management of the protected areas in the Western Forest Complex, and their buffer zones, through promotion of ICDP approaches.
The second part of the project aims to increase the understanding of the distribution, abundance and ecology of tigers, elephants and gaurs in Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary. In addition, it is hoped that the ecological knowledge and methods of conservationists can be integrated with those of the local Karen people for monitoring wildlife and habitat. This will promote understanding and cooperation between the Karen people and the Royal Forest Department, especially regarding the role and importance of the Karen in the conservation of Thung Yai.
Protection of dwindling population of tigers and rhinos with anti-poaching operations and anti-wildlife trade drive - Nepal
The objectives of this ongoing project, which began in 1997, are:- to establish a network of anti-poaching units and local informants by strengthening existing and organising new anti-poaching units in lowland and surrounding 'corridor' habitats to conserve tiger and rhinoceros populations;
- to develop a mechanism of field-level coordination and information-sharing among the park staff in Nepal and India, and among the TRAFFIC and equivalent intelligence units in the region;
- to increase the level of awareness among tourists, traders, students and the general public about anti-poaching and illegal wildlife trade programmes, via the media, displays and publications;
- to establish a tiger monitoring system using the existing GIS database on tigers and rhinos with a system of information collection and dissemination on the status of tigers and rhinos, anti-poaching, control of illegal wildlife trade, intelligence and watchdog systems.
Tiger Conservation & project - Nepal
Tiger conservation, through supporting anti-poaching operations, has been envisaged as a proactive step towards protection of tigers and rhinos in and around the protected areas of Nepal. There are six anti-poaching units active in the three lowland parks, in Parsa, Bardia and Chitwan. Equipment has also been given to local NGOs and the government to enable better monitoring. A manual of tiger and rhino surveys is under preparation. A trans-boundary meeting between Nepal and India has been held where bilateral issues on protection of tiger and rhinos and illegal trade control were discussed. A wildlife management course by Smithsonian Institution has been organised in Chitwan. Awareness materials and programs have been launched.
Malaysia tigers - population estimation, conflict resolution and critical habitat conservation
The Indo-Chinese tiger occurs in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Eastern Myanmar and Peninsular Malaysia. The tiger population in these countries is severely threatened by hunting, human encroachment, habitat loss and the decline of prey species. The status of the tiger population remains uncertain, but for Malaysia it is estimated to be between 450 and 500.
In 1995, WWF supported a regional training course on tiger conservation in Malaysia, with participants including rangers, biologists and government staff from the other range countries. Since then the Malaysian Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) has produced a Tiger Action Plan. The DWNP, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), WWF-Malaysia, the University of Florida and Malaysian Universities have developed this project, which will review the Action Plan and elaborate a strategy for tiger conservation in Malaysia.
The state government of Kelantan in Malaysia announced it was intending to kill all the tigers in two districts in response to tiger attacks on four local people in 2002. WWF-Malaysia condemned the announcement and called on the national government to stop the state from implementing the cull. A few days later a tiger was captured which resembled the description given of the rogue animal and was sent to a local zoo. There are estimated to be a maximum of 600 tigers in peninsula Malaysia. |
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WWF-UK > Research > Issues > Species > Tigers > WWF in action
