Global Tiger Day celebration in Bhutan
The
conservation of big cats especially tigers, snow leopards and leopards that require large home ranges, is becoming
increasingly difficult with an increasing human population, developmental
activities, and increasing grazing pressures amongst others. While
Bhutan boasts of enough space and promising habitat to support a viable
population of breeding tigers in the years to come, the challenges facing tiger
conservation are not limited. While strengths for conservation of tigers in
Bhutan include people’s support, of late, the increased intensity of livestock
predation by tigers has become an issue of concern because of the possible
retaliatory killing of tigers by the affected owners of the livestock whose
livelihood depends entirely on rearing livestock.
Through our preliminary
research in reassessing the tigers in Tongsa forest range under Zhemgang Forest
Division, it was confirmed that there are tigers thriving in the government
reserve forest ( territorial divisions) which are meant to be meeting the
timber supply to the communities. Moreover, the habitat occupied is at close
proximity to the settlements and the rate of livestock predation was found to
be alarming. If we are to achieve the goal of conserving tigers, their
protection is crucial. In protecting
them, communities are the main guardians and therefore the need of working closely with the communities in the
tiger landscape is felt as a priority.
In 2011, Bhutan observed the Global tiger day
on 29th July to create
awareness among the youths. The day was observed with the students and
teachers, NGOs and Enforcement agencies. This year (2012), as it was felt
necessary, tiger day in Bhutan was celebrated in a remote area of country with
the communities of Nubi geog under Tongsa district, a place where tigers have
been found to be thriving in the habitat which is prone to livestock-tiger
conflict. This year’s theme for the day was “Tigers and Communities-Coexisting in
harmony for mutual survival”. The Global Tiger Day is an annual celebration to raise awareness for
tiger conservation held annually on 29 July and strongly advocated by all the
Tiger Range Countries. It was first proposed in 2010 at the Saint
Petersburg Tiger Summit. The goal of the day is to promote a global system
for protecting the natural habitat of tigers and to raise public awareness and
support for tiger conservation issues.
The day was graced by H.E. Dasho Paljor J. Dorji, Deputy Minister and the
Special Advisor to the National Environment Commission as the Chief guest. H.E is the pioneer in Bhutan’s Tiger
conservation. What more can we expect than to have such a global personality on
the global tiger day, a man supposed to be old, but who becomes young the
moment we talk about tigers.
The day will be remembered as the small and narrow Bjeezam school ground
was crowded by over 400 people from Nubi geog and else where with the
continuous music of conservation by Mangdee chu. It was also an occasion for
the communities to meet their representatives to the parliament as they graced
the big day as well. Other participants included the Sector Heads of Trongsa
Dzongkhag, officials of Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS) and the
staff and students of Bjeezam Primary School.
In Bhutan, this year’s Global Tiger Day was coordinated by the Wildlife
Conservation Division in collaboration with Wangchuck Centennial Park, Jigme
Singye National Park and Zhemgang Territorial Forest Division of the Department
of Forests and Park Services. The event was financially supported by Royal
Government of Bhutan, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), International Fund for Animal
Welfare (IFAW) and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI). I thank all the individuals involved for the
grand success of the day. Men in green from WCP,JSWNP and ZFD are highly
acknowledged. Thank you IFAW,WTI and WWF
for your concern and support.
To me as an organizer of the event, I feel energized. Energy of
conservation is in the store of communities. Getting communities on board is
the key and I (we) got the key for now……………will
wait how long this key will remain secured. As long as we can keep the key
secured, Tigers in Bhutan have a hope….a
hope for roaring……. “Let them roar forever”
be our prayers and wishes..
Moment well captured.....keep writing...
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