India, neighbours agree to conduct joint tiger census
Wildlife experts feel a joint census by India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh will lead to not only more verified numbers but also greater tiger conservation efforts.
The Indian sub-continent is home to about 80-90% of world’s tiger population.
Starting a new chapter in tiger conservation efforts, India and its neighbours Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh have decided to conduct a joint census of their tiger population.
The Indian sub-continent is home to about 80-90% of world’s tiger population and experts feel a joint census will lead to not only more verified numbers but also greater coordination and conservation efforts among the four nations.
The countries agreed to the move at a meeting last week of officials of the four nations and members of the Global Tiger Forum, an international body that works for tiger conservation across the globe. The four neighbouring countries have decided to come out with the first-ever joint tiger estimation report of the Indian subcontinent.
“It was a successful meeting. The officials decided that the four nations will now together count their tigers. It will result in better estimation of their population as there are tiger habitats that fall in two countries like Sundarbans,” said S.P. Yadav, an Indian Forest Service officer and assistant secretary general at the Global Tiger Forum, an inter-governmental organization dedicated to tiger conservation.
“All neighbouring countries Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and India will follow the same protocol using camera traps which will result in much precise and accurate estimates of tiger numbers. The GTF will coordinate with these countries to build up their capacity to take on this challenging task,” Yadav added.
Yadav explained that though tiger numbers have shown an increasing trend in India, Russia, Nepal and Bhutan, the global scenario is gloomy as Cambodia, Vietnam and Lao PDR have a very small population of tigers.
“The tiger is still highly endangered and in view of this, the joint effort of these countries has tremendous significance at the international level,” he said.
According to the tiger census of 2014, India was home to 2,226 tigers which is about 60% of the world’s wild tiger population of about 3,890.
After India are: Russia (433 tigers), Indonesia (371), Malaysia (250) and Nepal (198).
In 2016, India’s tiger count was pegged at 2,500.
The number marks the success of India’s efforts to protect its national animal. A decade back, pressure on their habitat and poaching had seen tiger numbers hit a low of 1,411 (in 2006).
The 2018 tiger estimation is now expected to start in January 2018 and the number is expected to rise.(Source:Livemint)
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