According to a report by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the number of tigers in the Mekong Basin, including Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, has dropped alarmingly from 1,200 (1998) to just approximately 350 (2010).
The number of tigers has fallen in just over a decade
Compared to 1998, the number of tigers in 5 countries of the Mekong basin has decreased by more than 70%. This has led to a decrease in the number of tigers in the world to 3,200 from 5,000 10 years ago. The report shows that the growing demand for tiger parts for oriental medicine and the tiger’s broken natural habitat for infrastructure development is the main reason for this decline.
The report was presented at the Asian Ministers’ Meeting on Tiger Conservation in Hua Hin, Thailand.
Tigers on the brink of extinction
“Decisive action must be taken to ensure this Asian symbol continues before it is too late,” said Nick Cox, coordinator of the Mekong Basin Tiger Conservation Program. “If we don’t act now, the tigers of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia will be in danger of extinction next year, in 2022,” he added.
Ancient Middle Eastern tigers have been found in abundance along the Mekong Basin. However, today the number of wild tigers is less than 30 individuals in each country. The remainder is mainly concentrated in the Kayah Karen Tenasserim chain along the border with Thailand and Myanmar.
There is still time to reverse the situation
Although the situation is moving in a negative direction, experts believe that it is not too late to save the species of tigers living in the Mekong basin. It is the place with the largest tiger living area in the world, approximately 540,000 square kilometers, roughly the size of France, and is a priority for all current tiger conservation efforts.
“The tigers in this region can only recover if countries really make a concerted effort to cooperate and implement on a large scale. In addition, activities to protect the tiger’s prey as well as the ecosystem in general are also essential, ”Cox said.
WWF calls on governments to double the number of wild tigers by 2022
At the meeting, WWF called on ministers from 13 countries where tigers live to be responsible for doubling the number of tigers by 2022. These countries include Bangladesh, Butane, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, India. India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
The first Asian Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation from January 27-30 is part of the global political process to protect tigers in the future. These efforts were made during the summit in Vladivostok, Russia, in September, chaired by Russian Minister Vladimir Putin and co-organizer Robert Zoellick – President of the World Bank.
“This is a great opportunity for countries to take action to reverse the situation,” said Mike Baltzer, head of WWF’s Global Tiger Alliance. habitat ”.
