For International Tiger Day, which falls on July 29 each year, Thai authorities said the wild tiger population in the country has increased to 177. Currently, a new national-level tiger conservation plan is being prepared to replace its predecessor and contribute toward the steady recovery of the wild tiger population.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation is working with multiple partners to establish a national operations plan for the conservation of tigers, which will replace the plan currently in place and take effect from 2023-2034.
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) representative Pratheep Mekatitam said the COVID-19 pandemic and the unrest in Myanmar have necessitated the rehabilitation effort for the tiger population in both Thailand and Myanmar. The IUCN was shifting budgets previously allocated to Myanmar toward augmenting conservation efforts in Thailand.
Mr. Pratheep said the complete tiger conservation plan for Thailand will be presented at the leaders’ level meeting on the conservation of tigers that will be held in Malaysia in late 2022, and at the next global Tiger Summit in Russia.
Thailand’s wild tiger population currently numbers 177, putting the country only second to India for the number of wild tigers and tiger habitats. Mr. Pratheep said the Smart Patrol system implemented in all of Thailand’s conservation forests has enabled the tiger population to grow steadily. (NNT)
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