Context: Recently, the Bhutanese government hosted the Sustainable Finance for Tiger Landscapes Conference on Earth Day 2024 (22 April) to raise $1 billion over the next decade for tiger conservation across Asia.

About this Conference

• Co-organised by- The Royal Government of Bhutan and the Tiger Conservation Coalition.

• Aim- To mobilise 1 billion USD over 10 years for the preservation of tiger landscapes.

• Necessity- Maintaining tiger landscapes are vital to maintaining biodiversity, sequestering carbon, supplying resources to over 100 million people and ensuring the overall health of the planet.

Key Highlights from the Conference

• The conference convened tiger range countries, visionary private and public sector donors, international development agencies, the Tiger Conservation Coalition, and other conservation organisations.

• High-level representatives from ten tiger range countries delivered statements on the progress and ambitions for conserving their tiger landscapes.

• The conference culminated with the Paro Statement by the Royal Government of Bhutan reiterating it’s objective.

Other Sources of Funding

• Since 2010, the Global Environment Facility has provided more than USD 197 million in financing and mobilized another USD 880 million, in co-finance, for tiger conservation.

• It includes conservation organisations, including the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), Fauna & Flora International (FFI), IUCN, Natural State, Panthera, TRAFFIC, UNDP, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

Additional Fact

About Tigers

• Tiger is the largest cat species in the world. It is both an umbrella and flagship species.

• Subspecies: There are eight recognised subspecies of tigers, out of which three are extinct.

• Bengal tiger: Indian subcontinent

• Amur tiger: Amur Rivers region of Russia and China, and North Korea

• South China tiger: South central China.

• Sumatran tiger: Sumatra, Indonesia.

• Indo-Chinese tiger: Continental south-east Asia.

• Caspian tiger: Turkey through central and west Asia (extinct).

• Javan tiger: Java, Indonesia (extinct).

• Bali tiger: Bali, Indonesia (extinct).

• Habitat: Forest, savanna, shrubland, grassland, wetlands (inland), and coastal/supratidal areas.

• Countries with most tigers: 1st India > 2nd Russia > 3rd Indonesia > 4th Nepal > 5th Thailand

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Endangered

• CITES: Appendix I

• Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

• Threats: Habitat loss, climate change, human-wildlife conflict, inbreeding, diseases, hunting, grazing, mining, infrastructure development, tiger farms (big cats are held captive for breeding and sale), etc.

Note: Tigers are a “landscape” species that need large areas with diverse habitats, are free from human disturbance, and are rich in prey.