Project update - December 2005

Myanmar moves to protect endangered tiger population

The wildlife police and forest rangers in Myanmar have been ordered to increase their efforts to combat the illegal trade in wildlife in the country's vast Hukuang tiger reserve, which claims to be the world's largest, covering some 22,000 square km.

Reacting to fears of the extinction of tigers in the wild worldwide, the Myanmar authorities are determined to save the estimated 150 Bengal tigers still surviving in the park. The park is, however, also home to some 25,000 local people and much work will have to be done to balance the needs of both local communities and wildlife. New training programmes for the rangers have been set up by the forest department and the Wildlife Conservation Society, based in New York.

The tiger is most threatened by the trade in body parts, fuelled by the traditional medicine market throughout Asia. The Myanmar authorities have warned traditional practitioners not to use tiger body parts in their medicines in an effort to conserve this highly endangered species.

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