New Delhi: A two-day International Conference on Tiger Conservation will be held at the Indian capital next week to discuss challenges, plans and priorities towards achieving the recently-adopted goal of doubling the world’s tiger population by 2022. The Conference will also see declaration of the latest population estimate of tigers in the wild in India.

Hosted by the Indian Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh, the Conference is being organised in collaboration with the Global Tiger Forum (GTF) and the Global Tiger Initiative (GTI). The participants include leaders from all 13 tiger range countries (TRCs), scientists as well as conservationists from NGOs including the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).

Poaching for body parts, illegal trade and habitat degradation, among other reasons, have reduced the world tiger population to about 3000, a 97 % reduction since the 1900s. Lately, conflict with people has emerged as one of the major threats in tiger conservation, particularly in India, that supports half the world’s tiger population.

“The good news is that we can save the tiger,” said Azzedine Downes, IFAW Executive Vice President. “To do so, the world community must find new ways of working together and the political will to translate talk into action. The global action plan’s goal to double the wild tiger population by 2022 is a positive step in that direction.”

IFAW  was designated an official NGO partner to facilitate implementation of  the GTRP, especially in providing training and support in tiger range countries to combat tiger poaching and support law enforcement, as well as demand reduction efforts to help stem trade in tiger body parts and products. Over the years, IFAW has been assisting range states to strengthen their anti-poaching operations, facilitate trans-boundary cooperation in trade control, habitat improvement among others.

“We have provided training and equipped more than 8,500 frontline staff in India alone. Our field officers have also played a crucial role in securing tiger habitats in a number of Indian states, by facilitating granting them protected area status,” said Vivek Menon, Executive Director, WTI and Regional Director – South Asia, IFAW.