Global Tiger Workshop, the first ever tiger workshop that concluded in Kathmandu Friday, has decided to observe 2010 as the Year of Tiger.

China, one of the participants of the workshop, had objected to the idea saying 2010 is already a year of tiger according to the Chinese calendar and that observing it worldwide would hit heir cultural sensitivity.

Contrary to wide expectations, the workshop failed to issue a Kathmandu declaration. Instead, it came up with a seventeen point recommendation that will be tabled in an upcoming ministerial meeting of the Tiger Range Countries (TAR) to be held in January next year.

Concluding that the major cause of steep depletion of tiger population was encroachment of its habitat and poaching of tiger parts, the Workshop called for concerted effort from governments of all TAR countries to conserve tiger habitat.

It also called for a halt on infrastructure building near tiger habitats, and for better management of the tiger range.

Strict protection of wild tigers and their core breeding areas,conservation and management of buffer zones and corridors that connect tiger breeding areas were also among the recommendations.Some important decisions and announcements have been made during the workshop. Nepal has announced to double the size of Bardia National Park, one of the chief tiger habitats in the south-western region.

Likewise, it has also vowed to increase the tiger population to 250 by the year 220 from the existing 120. Globally, the Workshop expressed commitment to double the tiger population in the wild.

The workshop also decided to establish an anti-poaching secretariat in Nepal and bring all TAR countries in a common forum. Some 250 scientists, tiger experts, policy makers, conservationists and government officials from 20 countries, including India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand, China, participated in the workshop. Nepalnews.com

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