Category: GTF Updates

A capacity building workshop for tiger range countries was organized (from 13- 15 December 2016) by the Global Tiger Forum (GTF), in association with the Global Tiger Initiative Council, World Bank, Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) with technical support from the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The workshop was attended by senior frontline officials from several Tiger Range Countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Russia and Vietnam). The workshop was organized with a view to provide a detailed insight and gather country level inputs and feedback

Dr. Rajesh Gopal, Secretary General (GTF) gave the welcome remarks and mentioned about the significance and the need for a differentiated approach towards tiger landscape conservation. Mr. Keshav Varma, CEO and Executive Director, GTIC praised the efforts of Malaysian Government on implementing principles of Smart Green Infrastructure, especially the design and construction of eco-viaducts to facilitate wildlife movement. He also stressed on the need for sharing of best practices through a knowledge sharing platform. Mr. Hasnan Bin Yusop, Deputy Director General II, DWNP, Govt. of Malaysia, welcomed the delegates and resource-persons attending the workshop and that the workshop provided an opportunity for an effective dialogue on developing and implementing the draft manuals in range countries. A presentation showcasing landscape conservation efforts in the central forest spine of Malaysia was given by Dr. Pazil bin Abdul Patah, Director of Biodiversity Division, DWNP, Govt. of Malaysia.

The technical presentation were given by following renowned scientists and officials:

• Dr. Bilal Habib, Scientist, discussed the framework of the technical guidelines for habitat and prey restoration.
• Dr. Y.V. Jhala and Mr. Qamar Qureshi, Scientists, Wildlife Institute of India, presented the protocols describing methods for monitoring habitat quality and wildlife populations.
• Dr. Vaibhav C. Mathur, AIG, National Tiger Conservation Authority of India gave an overview of designing a landscape level tiger conservation plan as well as described ways for prevention and management of tiger/wildlife diseases.
• Dr. Rajesh Gopal, Secretary General, GTF presented a detailed insight into tiger landscape management, mentioning strategies for land use planning and coordination between stakeholder agencies across tiger landscapes, including core critical tiger habitats, multiple use habitats and corridors.
• Dr. S.P. Yadav, Assistant Secretary General, GTF presented an overview of the Conservation Assured Tiger Standards (CA|TS) and its application both in protected areas as well as forest areas outside protected areas.
• Dr. Anil Kumar, Director, Indian Institute of Forest Management introduced the concept of economic valuation of economic valuation.
• Dr. Madhu Verma, Professor, Indian Institute of Forest Management led the sessions on economic valuation of tiger landscapes, which included an introduction to some measurable ecosystem services across tiger landscapes and review of studies undertaken in tiger landscapes, as well as detailed insight into the techniques/methodology for conducting such a study in tiger landscapes and communication results to various stakeholders.

The technical sessions were followed by a valedictory ceremony, that involved the distribution of certificated and concluding remarks by Dr. Rajesh Gopal and Mr. Keshav Varma, CEO and Executive Director, GTI Council.

A capacity building workshop for tiger range countries was organized by the Global Tiger Forum (GTF), in association with the Global Tiger Initiative Council, World Bank, Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) with technical support from the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) at Sariska, India. The workshop was attended by senior frontline officials from South Asian Tiger Range Countries (Bhutan, Bangladesh, India and Nepal) and representatives from the WWF, WCT and the state forest department of Rajasthan as well as many post graduate diploma trainee officers of WII.

The Global Tiger Forum, in collaboration with the World Bank and the Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT), and with technical support from Indian Institute of Forest Management and Wildlife Institute of India organized a 3-day capacity building workshop for snow leopard range countries in Leh-Ladakh, India from 7 to 9 November 2016. The workshop was attended by senior frontline officials from Bhutan, Nepal, India and Russia as well as representatives from GSLEP, WWF and NCF. The main objective of this workshop was to incorporate key inputs into the draft manuals for economic valuation of snow leopard landscapes, habitat restoration and monitoring of wildlife populations.

Written by Samudra Gupta Kashyap, Guwahati

Amid reports of increase in the tiger population in the country, there is more good news. The number of tigers in Manas National Park and the contiguous Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan has gone up from 14 to at least 21 in three years. While this figure has been ascertained through the camera trapping method applied in a limited area, the overall estimated number of tigers is 44.

“The study has confirmed the minimum presence of 21 tigers in the study area, which stood at 14 during the last exercise in 2011-12. Of the 21 tigers confirmed through the camera-trapping exercise, 14 were on the Indian side, 11 in Bhutan and four appearing common on both sides of the border. The maximum number of tigers present in both the national parks was estimated to be 44,” said an official who was part of the 72- day exercise.

Courtesy: IANS, New Delhi

IRCTC’s new semi-luxury train Tiger Express embarked on a “Roaring Journey” on World Environment Day, June 5 to experience the best of wildlife in Madhya Pradesh with some 24 nature loving passengers.
By the time the train completed its first and last “tiger trail” of this season, a trial run, on June 10, (parks close from June 15), passengers had experienced among others – a magnificent tiger and its other subjects in the beautiful jungles of Kanha and Bandhavgarh, a mesmerising boat ride in Narmada through marble rocks of Bedhagaht near Jabalpur and a huge waterfall where fishes were trying to jump up-stream and succeeding!
“I enjoyed from platform to platform. There’s a need to create the culture of love for the wildlife and this train is a step towards that,” Raman Kant Garg, who travelled with his son Shaurya, told IANS.

He said he will suggest the train journey to his friends and looking at the facilities and the guided tours it was overall cost effective.

“Watching the tiger looking you in the eye is beyond words. As we are getting older and softer, we start thinking where our meat is coming from. More sensitisation is required towards the environment. This train is for a good cause,” Steven Phipps, a retired Combat Engineer from the US who visited India for the first time to experience wildlife, said. “I believe that we must enjoy the jungle and keep the tiger as a bonus,” said Raghvendra and his wife Divya, a couple from Maharashtra who had chosen Tiger Express for their honeymoon.
The train will return with its five day-six night package in October, while the officials are at work on its costing which may drop in the second journey. “We are working on the costing, it may go down in the next journey. It was a quick decision and we had to manage the entire train within two months,” an IRCTC official told IANS.
“An abandoned coach was turned into this dining car at Jagadhari workshop in Haryana.
This was done in one month’s time,” said a railway engineer.
“I had been to places but never seen a combination like this. It ended on a very good note at the waterfalls. However, It was not publicised and I too received an email because I was registered with IRCTC,” said Virpal Singh, who had also been on the Buddha Circuit.
“The trip was good but it needs more publicity. Wildlife protection must be sensitized and in that step, I feel that this train is also serving a noble cause,” S.K Singh, a Delhi based retired Professor said.
The train would begin its regular monthly trips from October
onwards after the National Parks reopen following the monsoon. So, start working on your watch list, learn the names of your birds, pack well and please don’t use perfume while on tiger circuit.