WB provides $3 million for tigers

KATHMANDU, Sep 5: The World Bank (WB) has provided US$ 3 million for protecting tigers in Nepal. This is the first time the WB has provided fund to Nepal for protecting the endangered animal.



“We had long been assisting Nepal´s efforts to conserve natural resources,” Gayatri Acharya, sector coordinator for rural, social and environment at the WB Nepal Office, told Republica. “However, this is the first time that we are lending our support exclusively for tigers.” [break]



The money provided by the WB will be spent under Strengthening Regional Cooperation for Wildlife Protection Project (SRCWPP). The project will run for four years starting this fiscal year.



The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) and Department of Forest (DoF) will jointly implement the project. National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) will coordinate the project.



Ram Prasad Lamsal, chief of foreign assistance coordination division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Judda Bahadur Gurung, member secretary at NTNC, on Monday signed an agreement to this effect.



The project will focus on conserving tiger habitat, controlling poaching and illegal trade of tiger, empower government staffers deployed in conservation areas and lending support to studies and researches on tiger.



Similar projects have simultaneously been launched in Bangladesh and Bhutan as well. Speaking at a meeting held to sign the agreement, Lamsal expressed his hope that the project will significantly contribute to conserving tigers.



This project is Nepal´s latest move in a series of attempts at saving tigers. Latest figures show Nepal has only 155 tigers.



A report published by Global Tiger Forum (GTF) has put Nepal in a list of 10 regions where the existence of big cats is under serious threat.



Previously, the government had expanded the area of Banke National Park (BNP) apart from signing two landmark agreements for saving the dwindling population of the majestic beast.



Besides, the secretariat of South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN), which is expected to be instrumental in curbing tiger poaching, has also been set up in Nepal.

Related story

Manage tiger-human conflict to save tigers