Myanmar Times – 24 Jan 2018
Myanmar will seek India’s expertise for the conservation of rare species of tigers and will sign a memorandum of understanding to embark on the project.
According to Myanmar’s Director-general of the Forest Department U Nyi Nyi Kyaw, the Indian government will support conservation of one of the rarer species of tiger in Myanmar.
India, with its experience and technology in wildlife conservation, will provide training to Myanmar, including in protected areas.
“Now, we are discussing the agreement, and we went to India to study how they practice tiger conservation,” said U Nyi Nyi Kyaw.
There are several methods to protect tigers, such as releasing them in protected areas or breeding them in a controlled environment, such as specialised centres.
Tigers are nearly extinct in Myanmar. Some experts estimate their population to be below 100.
“Tigers were threatened in many ways in Myanmar. In particular, they were hunted down and sold on the Chinese border. That’s why we are trying to raise public awareness about tiger conservation and to protect them through laws,” U Nyi Nyi Kyaw said.
“We will track tiger conservation areas and we will discuss projects and budgets with India,” he added.
Myanmar is a natural habitat for tigers. There are two types: the Bengal tiger and Indochinese tiger, according to the Forest Department. They mostly reside in the Hukaung Valley in Kachin State, Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary in Sagaing Region and Tanintharyi Region.
Tigers are among the 10 most widely traded endangered species in the Golden Triangle, which is where the borders of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand meet, according to WWF Myanmar.
Many of Asia’s poached and farmed tigers pass through the Golden Triangle, where they end up as tiger wine, on dinner tables, in dubious medicines or as luxury items and jewellery, said WWF Myanmar.
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/india-share-expertise-saving-rare-tigers.html
