India to host World Tiger Summit next year

Archana Jyoti

New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) For the first time, India will
host World Tiger Summit next year where wildlife experts from
various countries are expected to congregate to deliberate on
conservation of diminishing striped cats in the wild.

"Rajasthan will be hosting the World Tiger Summit at
Ranthambore next year in October or November. About 200
experts from across the countries are to participate in the
summit including those from the world renowned organisation,
Global Tiger Initiative," Union Environment Minister Jairam
Ramesh told PTI.

With over 44 royal big cats in the Ranthambore Tiger
Reserve in north Indian state of Rajasthan will be showcased
as a role model to delegates attending the Summit being held
for the first time in the country which is home to around
1,400 endangered species.

Ramesh, however said that India would not accept any
fund from the World Bank for the country's tiger conservation
programme. World Bank has been consistently pushing for
pumping in money in India's tiger protection programmes but
NGOs and the government have been opposing the proposal.

Conservationists strongly feel that the World Bank's
move to invest in tiger protection programme is just an
attempt to "meddle" with the India's green efforts given its
huge investments in several developmental projects such as
dams and industrial projects which will damage wildlife
habitat.

Apparently agreeing with this view, Ramesh said the
country is capable to protect the striped cats.

"Who else but we being the holder of a large number of
world's tiger population could know the problems better. We
do not intend to take any grants or loans from them. We will,
however, remain in touch with the technical experts of other
countries and will send our field directors to these countries
in case they need expertise in the area," he said.

The summit is likely to seek to strengthen and expand
a patchy system of tiger reserves across the 13 countries,
including India, Indonesia, Thailand, China and Russia, that
are home to the world's rapidly diminishing tiger population.

Security and controversial issues such as poaching and
tiger-farming in China for making medicines from the animal's
bones and parts which is taking toll on the striped cats in
the wild are also likely to come up for discussion at the
summit.

Experts believe there are only about 3,500 tigers left
in the wild faced with a problem of shrinking habitats besides
poaching and man-animal conflict. Just a century ago they were
thought to number 100,000.

Ramesh also said that during the summit the tiger
census based on new methodology will be released.

"We plan a three-tier system exclusively based on
scientific system to carry on the tiger estimation work," the
Union Minister added. The latest census released last year had
estimated 1,400 big cats in the country's landscape. PTI AJ
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