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Developing a National Tiger Action Plan for the Union of Myanmar

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Abstract

A century ago, tigers were considered pests in Myanmar. Hunters claimed thousands, yet populations persisted. In the past century, because of habitat loss and prey depletion, coupled with the recent demand for traditional medicines, tiger populations have been reduced to a few hundred individuals. As a first step toward long-term planning for tigers, and to guide efforts to increase protected area coverage, the Myanmar government in 1998 initiated a project to develop a revised National Tiger Action Plan. Extensive surveys confirmed tigers in only 4 of 17 survey locations. Significant populations are thought to persist in the far North and far South of the country, where large, intact forests offer the potential for tiger recovery. With partnerships and collaborations, tiger populations can be protected in the short term (<5 years) by expanding protected areas and corridors, mobilizing enforcement staff to reduce poaching of tigers and prey, and amending existing wildlife legislation in accordance with international laws. Over the long term (5–20 years), recovery of Myanmar’s tiger populations will depend on increasing support from local people, zoning tiger areas to reduce habitat loss and disturbance, and maintaining connectivity of existing national and transboundary forests. This article reviews the development of a new National Tiger Action Plan for the Union of Myanmar and discusses a blueprint for conservation measures aimed at saving tigers from extinction.

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Acknowledgments

A National Tiger Action Plan for the Union of Myanmar was made possible by the Minister of Forestry Director-Generals U Soe Tint, U Than Shwe, U Kyaw Tint, U Shwe Kyaw, and U Soe Win Hlaing; former NWCD Director U Uga; territorial staff of the Forest Department; the Local commander of Tanintharyi Division; and U Tun Paw Oo, Director of the Tanintharyi Forest Department. U Aung Than wrote the first tiger action plan, which served as a foundation for the current plan. We also thank staff of the Wildlife Conservation Society—Myanmar Program and the National Tiger Survey Team including U Than Myint, U Saw Htoo Tha Po, U Kyaw Thin Latt, U Myint Aung, U Myint Maung, U Tin Mya Soe, U Htay Win, U Sein Aung Min, U Thein Lwin, U Khin Maung Htay, U Tun Tun Lwin, U Moe Myint Aung, U Zaw Naing Tun, and Daw Myint Myint Oo, for assistance in carrying out all aspects of the field program. Financial support for the development and implementation of the Plan has come from Save the Tiger Fund, a collaboration between the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and ExxonMobil, US Fish and Wildlife Service, private donors, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Finally, we thank Alan Rabinowitz for initiating tiger conservation work in Myanmar and helping to inspire the creation of some important protected areas. William Duckworth, Joshua Ginsberg, Alan Rabinowitz, Madhu Rao, John Seidensticker, and Christen Wemmer provided comments on earlier drafts, which greatly improved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wildlife Conservation Society, International Programs, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY, 10460, USA

    Antony J. Lynam & Saw tun Khaing

  2. Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division Forest Department, Ministry of Forestry, West Gyogone, Insein, Yangon, Myanmar

    Khin Maung Zaw

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  1. Antony J. Lynam
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  2. Saw tun Khaing
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Correspondence to Antony J. Lynam.

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Lynam, A.J., Khaing, S.t. & Zaw, K.M. Developing a National Tiger Action Plan for the Union of Myanmar. Environmental Management 37, 30–39 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-004-0273-9

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