Nature Conservation DivisionDepartment of ForestsMinistry of Agriculture

Royal Government of Bhutan

TIGERACTION PLAN

F O R T H E K I N G D O M O F B H U T A N 2 0 0 6 - 2 0 1 5

I n c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h W W F B h u t a n P r o g r a m

TIGER ACTION PLAN FOR THEKINGDOM OF BHUTAN

2006-2015

In collaboration withWWF Bhutan Program

Nature Conservation DivisionDepartment of ForestsMinistry of Agriculture

Royal Government of Bhutan

for a living planet ®

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Foreword By His Excellency, Lyonpo Sangay NgedupMinistry Of Agriculture, Royal Government Of Bhutan vAcknowledgement vii

1. INTRODUCTION 1

2. STATUS OF TIGER CONSERVATION IN BHUTAN 32.1. Tiger Conservation Program 32.2. Tiger Population And Distribution 42.3. The National And Global Significance Of Tiger Conservation In Bhutan 5

3. OPPORTUNITIES 73.1. Extensive Habitat 73.2. Legislation 73.3. Inaccessible Habitat And Wide Distribution Of The Tiger 83.4. Pro-conservation Development Strategy And Stable Political Conditions 8

4 KEY THREATS 94.1. Commercial Poaching And Wildlife Trade 94.2. Fragmentation Of Habitat 94.3. Reconciling Tiger Conservation And Human Needs 104.4. Lack Of Public Awareness Of The Tiger Conservation Issue 114.5. Inadequate Database And Data Management 114.6. Lack Of Trained Manpower To Implement Conservation Initiatives 12

5. ACTION PLAN 135.1. Goal 135.2. Objectives 13

A. Species Conservation 14B. Habitat Conservation 16C. Human Wildlife Conflict Management 18D. Education And Awareness Program 19E. Regional Cooperation 20F. Human Resources Development 20

6. BUDGET AND WORKPLAN 23

REFERENCE 31

ANNEXURE 1 - HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT 33

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Guru Rinpoche brought Buddhism to Bhutan riding on the back of a flying tigress. The tiger isone of our four protector animals in the "Tag Seng Chung Druk" quartet (the other three animalsbeing the mythical snow lion, garuda and dragon). Thus the tiger is a symbol of great reverencein Bhutanese society. Ecologically, it stands at the top of the food chain, and its presence inthe forest symbolizes the well-being of many other species living with it. For all these reasons,the survival of the tiger is vital for the very existence of every Bhutanese.

It gives me immense pleasure to introduce the 'Tiger Action Plan for the Kingdom of Bhutan2006-2015' that was put together by Bhutanese and international tiger experts during a meetingin Paro from 14-16 September 2004. The content of the Tiger Action Plan (TAP) wasdiscussed during the conference and post-conference consultations with some of the world'sbest tiger experts. This document is the synthesis of their wisdom, knowledge and expertise,and signifies yet another commitment by the Royal Government of Bhutan towards tigerconservation.

The TAP has three main components viz. species conservation, habitat conservation andhuman-wildlife conflict management. It outlines some of the enabling environments which arenecessary for its successful implementation. Environmental integrity is one of the four pillars of"Gross National Happiness", our development philosophy instituted by His Majesty the DrukGyalpo. Successful implementation of the TAP will no doubt contribute significantly towardsthis. Ensuring the tiger's survival in the wild means protecting its habitat, prey species and amyriad other species, ecosystems and processes.

I want to express my thanks to the Save the Tiger Fund, and our long-time conservationpartner, WWF, for rendering assistance in this venture. Many thanks also go to all theinternational and Bhutanese participants at the meeting for putting this important documenttogether.

I wish the Department of Forests every success in the implementation of the TAP, and inensuring that future generations of Bhutanese will continue to hear the tiger growl in the pristineforests of Bhutan, in very natural conditions of abundant habitat and prey.

Tashi Delek.

Sangay NgedupMinisterMinistry of Agriculture

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We would like to thank H.E. Hon'ble Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup, Minister of Agriculture for hisforeword that exemplifies his continued support for conservation.

We would like acknowledge numerous persons particularly the participants of the InternationalConference held in Paro from 14-16 September 2004 for their valuable comments andassistances received in shaping this important document - the Tiger Action Plan (TAP).Comments were received from AJT Johnsingh, Eric Wikramanayake, Fraincine Madden, JohnSeidensticker, Per Wegge, Tim O'Brien, Tshewang Wangchuk, Ullas Karanth from theinternational participants and Sangay Wangchuk, Karma Tshering, Deki Yonten, NgawangNorbu, Sherub, Sonam Choden, Bap Pema of NCD and Chado Tenzin and Vijay Moktan ofWWF Bhutan added more comments in the discussions that followed.

Sangay of NCD compiled the materials from the Tiger Conference in Paro. TshewangWangchuk of WWF International rendered assistance in refining the contents of the TAP.Trishna Gurung of WWF International assisted in editing and layout of the document atFORMAT Graphics. The maps were produced in NCD with help from Kinley Gyeltshen andKinga Deki of NCD. Kuensel, WWF, Natural History Museum of Bhutan, and NCD provided thephotographs. Save the Tiger Fund and WWF provided financial and technical assistance for themeeting that has made this document possible.

The Nature Conservation Division and WWF wish to thank these individuals, agencies, and allthe participants of the meeting who contributed materials and support for this document.

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Nestled in the Eastern Himalayas, theKingdom of Bhutan, with an area of 38,394km2 (RGoB 2002) represents a region thatexhibits one of the richest diversities of wildplant and animal life on earth. Biologicalinventories have so far recorded some 7,000vascular plants, 770 species of birds and 160species of mammals (MoA 1998). Three mainbiophysical features are responsible for thisincredible biodiversity. First, the countrystraddles two major bio-geographical realms,the Palearctic characterized by temperate andalpine regions of the central and northernmountains, and the Indo-Malayancharacterized by tropical and sub-tropicalecosystems of the lowlands and southernfoothills. Second, climate and altitude varybetween two extremes. Annual rainfall rangesfrom 5,000 mm in the southern part of thecountry to less than 500 mm in the alpinehighlands, and elevations range from 100meters above sea level (masl) in the southernfoothills to more than 7,000 masl in thenorthern mountains. The eastern part of theHimalayan region receives more rainfall thanthe western part and hence vegetation andtreeline extends higher in the former. Lastly,over 72.5 percent of the country'sgeographical area is covered withundisturbed forests.

Bhutan's socio-political conditions have been,and continue to be, favorable for theconservation of biological diversity. The Royal

Government of Bhutan (RGoB) is stronglycommitted to environmental conservation asreflected in various national policies andlegislations. One of the most importantcommitments of the 1974 Forest Policy hasbeen to maintain 60 percent of the countryunder forest cover, in perpetuity. This clauseis now embodied in the new Constitution thatwas released for nationwide debate in 2005.Further, several factors provide optimumconditions for the continued conservation ofthe kingdom's rich environmental resources,

Much of Bhutan is marked by thick forests

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namely; 1) a small population of less than onemillion, 2) a Buddhist ethic that stronglysupports nature conservation, 3) theintegration of conservation into mainstreameconomic development as one of the fourpillars of Gross National Happiness (GNH),prime indicator of Bhutan's developmentphilosophy, 4) the "middle path" conservationapproach of avoiding the extremes of severeprotectionism and outright destruction, and 5)Bhutan's rugged topography that makes manyparts of the country inaccessible, and thereforeout of reach of environmental degradation.

Nature conservation as a national programpre-dates planned development, which onlybegan in 1961 with the advent of the Five-Year Development Plans. Traditionalconservation ethics existed with theprotection of important forests and catchmentareas as the abodes of deities and spirits.This practice still exists in many parts ofBhutan. Nature conservation was initiated as

a national program with the creation of theDepartment of Forests in 1952.Subsequently, it was enhanced by theestablishment, in 1966, of the country's firstprotected area, the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary(now Royal Manas National Park) in southernBhutan, followed by the enactment of theBhutan Forest Act in 1969. Until 1984, allwildlife management responsibilities werevested in the various territorial divisions of theDepartment of Forests. In 1984, twofunctional entities, the Northern and SouthernWildlife Circles, were established under theadministrative and technical assistance of theDepartment of Forests to oversee wildlifeconservation and protected area managementactivities. In 1992, the two circles wereintegrated to form the Nature ConservationDivision that currently functions as the nodalagency for overall planning, coordination,implementation and technical support of natureconservation and protected area management.

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Although a specific program focusingprimarily on tigers did not begin until 1996,many of the conservation needs of thespecies were addressed through theestablishment and management of a networkof protected areas and the enactment of theupdated Forest & Nature Conservation Act ofBhutan in 1995, which replaced the BhutanForest Act (1974). The national protectedareas system accounts for 26 percent of thecountry's area and encompasses the fullrange of all major ecosystems found in thecountry. An additional 9 percent of thecountry is included for conservation asbiological corridors, based on results fromtiger surveys. The Forest and Nature

Conservation Act of Bhutan (1995) accordsthe tiger "fully protected" status: a statusextended to 22 other species of wild animalsand seven wild plants found in Bhutan.

In 1996, the Department of Forests and WWFBhutan Program initiated the TigerConservation Program aimed at achievingthree objectives:1. to complete a tiger survey for the entire

country in order to assess presence/non-presence, distribution, and density oftigers across Bhutan

2. to develop the capacity to conducttechnically competent tiger surveys byprotected area and territorial ForestDepartment staff, and

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3. to promote public awareness of tigerconservation and related issues.

Major achievements of the program, to date,are the following:1. the formulation and endorsement by

RGoB of a national strategy for tigerconservation based on a nationwide tigersign survey, in 1998

2. the training of more than thirty-five ForestDepartment staff in and outside PAs ontiger and prey survey methodology

3. the declaration of nearly 9 percent of thecountry's total land area as biologicalcorridors, thereby ensuring that criticalforest areas outside the PAs are alsoprotected in the long-run

4. the expansion of two protected areas viz.Thrumshingla National Park (from 768 to905.32 km2) and Bomdeling WildlifeSanctuary (1182 to 1545 km2) toinclude important tiger and snow leopardhabitats, and

5. the establishment of the TigerConservation Fund to minimize human-wildlife conflict by compensating villagersfor valuable livestock lost to predatorslike tigers, snow leopards, leopards andHimalayan black bears.

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Prior to the survey initiated by the TigerConservation Program, the tiger populationwas assumed to be in the range of 80-240(Jackson & Kemf 1996; Dorji & Santiapillai1989). After completion of five nation-widesurveys, an analysis of the sign data yieldeda conservative crude estimate of 67 to 81adult animals and a total of approximately 115to 150 animals, including juveniles (McDougal& Tshering 1998).

The tiger in Bhutan ranges from 100 masl inthe south to as high as 4,100 m in the north.It is found in almost all parts of the country.Bhutan offers a wide range of habitat for tiger

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and prey and data from previous surveyshave resulted into two different densities oftigers based on habitat type and elevation;there are more tigers in the south (sub-tropicalforests) with a density of 1 tiger per 50 km2,whereas in the central Himalayan region(temperate forests) the density is 1 tiger per185 km2 according to the last surveys(McDougal & Tshering 1998). These densitiesso obtained need further verification throughmore rigorous monitoring as a next step.

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There is global concern for the tiger'sconservation and protection. Its numbershave declined drastically in the last century,reducing them to small fragmentedpopulations. The species is near extinctionmainly due to human interferences such asthe destruction of habitat and poaching forskin and bones. The tiger stands at the top ofthe food chain and, therefore, serves as anindicator species of environmental health. In

addition to this significant role, the tiger playsan important socio-cultural role in Asian myth,legend and folklore where it is respected andrevered. Sadly, its parts are occasionallycoveted for alleged strength, vigor andcurative properties.

Conservation of the tiger is of great relevanceto Bhutan's religious and cultural heritage asthe tiger is believed to be one of the fourpower animals of the state religion, Buddhism(the other three are the mythical garuda, snowlion and dragon). Most Bhutanese areBuddhist and respect all forms of life. Thetiger is also revered because it is believed tobe the protector of Buddhism and the mountof Guru Rinpoche, who flew on the back of atigress when he brought Buddhism to Bhutanin the eighth century. Taktshang, or "Tiger'sDen" is one of the holiest temples in Bhutan.

Bhutan offers one of the best opportunities forthe long-term survival of the tiger. Over aquarter of its surface area, about 10,714 km2,was estimated to be potential tiger habitat

Taktshang-tiger's den temple

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(McDougal & Tshering 1998). However,logically, all forested areas in Bhutan,connected with the main tiger habitat ispotential tiger habitat. More surveys and fieldinvestigations need to be carried out toconfirm this. Additionally, nowhere else canthe tiger move in contiguous forests over

such a wide range in altitude, from 100 toover 4000 masl. Bhutan offers one of the lastplaces on earth where large cats such as thetiger can undergo evolutionary processesunder fairly undisturbed natural conditions.Tigers exist at the edge of snow leopardhabitat in the north, with leopards in much ofBhutan, and also with clouded leopards in thelower areas. They survive on different preyspecies in different parts of a contiguoushabitat across an altitudinal gradient, whilesambar and wild pigs are the main prey.

Not only is Bhutan's tiger populationdistributed throughout most parts of thecountry, the habitats also connect with thosein India. Tigers in Bhutan move from PhibsooWildlife Sanctuary to the Manas TigerReserve and three Reserved Forests ofAssam, and to Buxa Tiger Reserve andJaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary of West Bengal.This continuous distribution forms the nucleusof one of the two largest tiger populations inSouth Asia, the Manas-Namdapha TigerConservation Unit (TCU). The otherpopulation, in the Sundarban TCU, is sharedbetween India and Bangladesh. Clearly,Bhutan's contribution will be crucial to thelong-term survival of the tiger in the region.

Dorji Droloed riding a tigress

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Bhutan is in a favorable and unique positionwith respect to tiger conservation comparedto other tiger range countries, and can play akey role in this at regional and internationallevels. Unlike other countries, Bhutan offersan opportunity for preemptive conservation - achance to act before the damage is actuallydone. This is attributed to thefollowing factors:

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The country has ca. 72.5 percent of its totalsurface area under forest cover (LUPS 1997),providing potential habitat for tiger and preyspecies. This is also important for manyspecies that are endangered in other parts ofthe eastern Himalayan region. Tiger habitat inBhutan contains several different preyspecies in one contiguous habitat: in thenorth, takin, sambar and wild pigs are thedominant prey while in the south it is mostlysambar, chital, gaur, and buffalo. Protectedareas cover more than a quarter of thecountry's total land area. The tiger isconfirmed present in six protected areas:Jigme Dorji National Park, Jigme SingyeWangchuck National Park, Royal ManasNational Park, Thrumshingla National Park,Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary and BomdelingWildlife Sanctuary and is expected in thethree others.

All these protected areas have been legallyrecognized and have implementedconservation management activities.

Moreover, breeding tigers are found in thecorridors between Jigme Dorji National Parkand Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park/Royal Manas National Park; between JigmeSingye Wangchuck National Park andThrumshingla National Park; and betweenThrumshingla National Park and BomdelingWildlife Sanctuary, making these linkagesmore than mere corridors for dispersing tigers.The National Tiger Conservation Strategy,adopted by the Royal Government of Bhutanin 1998, calls for protection of the corridorslinking the protected areas where tigers arelocated resulting in the establishment ofbiological corridors. The biological corridorcomplex was gifted under the "Gift to theEarth" campaign of WWF in 1999 during HisMajesty the King Jigme Singye Wangchuck'ssilver jubilee celebration of his glorious reign.Aptly named the Bhutan BiologicalConservation Complex (B2C2) this landscapespans across Bhutan, and is the focus of itsconservation efforts. Moreover, the tigerpopulation spanning the six protected areas inBhutan spreads south into India's state ofAssam, linking up directly with the 2,840 km2

Manas Tiger Reserve. It spreads westwardinto West Bengal's Buxa Tiger Reserve (370km2) and Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary (220km2), both of which provide good forest cover.

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The tiger is listed as a "fully protected"species, as it is included in Schedule I of theForest and Nature Conservation Act of

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Bhutan, 1995, and is equivalent to the statusof Appendix 1 'endangered' in the IUCN RedData Book. The penalties for killing a tiger, orbeing in possession of its parts/products, asper the Forest and Nature Conservation Act of1995, include imprisonment of up to 5 years,and fines from Nu 50,000-200,000 (USD1,100-4,400) or both. While this is enforcedstrictly, the monetary fine seems low atpresent - for this reason the government isrevising the schedule of fines for wildlifecrimes against endangered andthreatened species.

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Bhutan is a mountainous country and the tigerinhabits very rugged terrain. Theinaccessibility of this terrain makes it verydifficult for poachers to hunt tigers as well asto exploit the forest frequented by tiger andprey. The extensive and contiguous nature oftiger and prey habitat in Bhutan allows for a

wide distribution of tigers, ranging from thesub-tropical south through the middle hills upto the temperate and alpine north. However,inaccessibility and the dense nature of theforests also present a challenge for carryingout tiger and prey surveys.

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The development strategy and the nationalpolicy for development have emphasizedlong-term sustenance of the environmentrather than short-term economic growth. TheRoyal Government has had a stable politicalsystem that always accorded high priority toconservation initiatives. These conditionshave greatly aided conservation efforts in thecountry. Bhutan is also probably the onlycountry where tiger conservation efforts entailpre-emptive and proactive efforts to maintainexisting conditions. It does not have to dealwith expensive restoration or rehabilitationof habitat.

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Many parts of the tiger have medicinal valueand, in addition, some parts are also madeinto high priced souvenirs. These parts andproducts have a lucrative market in theregion, as well as in the United States andEurope. In addition, Bhutan has a porousborder with both India and China, making thetransportation of wildlife parts and productsacross borders relatively easy. At present,there is no legislation to allow lawenforcement agencies in Bhutan to check andapprehend foreign traders. The problem iscompounded by the lack of manpower toeffectively carry out anti-poaching patrolling.

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Bhutan is a developing nation. Consequently,many development activities have yet to becompleted. For instance, in the current FiveYear Plan, the Department of Roads has

Poaching and illegal trade of Asian bigcats is a threat

plans to construct 633 km of roads (DOR2003), the Ministry of Agriculture plans toconstruct 183.8 km of roads (MOA 2003),and, the Forestry Development Corporationwill construct 120 km of forest roads. By theend of 2007, a 937 km stretch of forests, witha width of 10 m, will be cleared for roadconstruction, which will disturb wildlife habitatin various places. Bhutan Power Corporationwill install 1033 km of transmission lines witha corridor width of 50 m, carrying power toIndia from the Chukha and KurichuHydroelectric Projects (BPC 2003). For thenext five years, the Forestry DevelopmentCorporation has earmarked 2142.67 km2 offorests for the harvesting of timber; an annualallowable cut of 208,088 m3 has beenprojected (FRDD 2001). Annually, theForestry Development Corporation harvests57,000 m3 of timber and 50,000 trees aremarked for rural consumption. Additionally,Bhutan's natural resources have been under

Poorly aligned roads can fragment vital habitat

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threat of forest fires, especially during the drywinter months. In the last twelve years (1992-2003) approximately 1,251 km2 of forestshave been destroyed in 803 forest fireincidences (Social Forestry Division 2004).All these factors cumulatively place a hugepressure on tiger and prey habitat all acrossthe country.

While the northern and central temperateforests face potential fragmentation due todevelopment activities, it is mainly thesouthern broadleaf forests that face a greaterthreat from hydropower projects, industriesand infrastructure development. Althoughmuch of the tiger habitat within Bhutan ismore or less contiguous, it is important tomaintain connectivity of swathes of the level ITCU (number 10) with tiger reserves (Buxaand Manas) and other forests in India. Thiswould allow for exchange of genes between alarger metapopulation of tigers and maintaingenetic vigor in the long run.

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Villagers in much of Bhutan still follow theage-old tradition of livestock rearing. Theymove livestock to higher elevations duringsummer and back to lower grounds in winter.This practice has exacerbated human-wildlifeconflict, resulting in depredation becauselivestock are left to graze freely in the forests.It is inevitable that a tiger will attack

Huge mega-projects require large amounts oftimber for adequate housing infrastructure

livestock, especially in areas where naturalprey is scarce or steep terrain makes huntingdifficult. Such conflict has led to retaliatoryactivities, notably the poisoning of carcasseswith the intention of eliminating the threat tovaluable property. There is an increasingtrend in livestock depredation incidents inmost parts of the country. This trend has ledto increasing human-wildlife conflict that hasresulted in retaliatory killings of tigers andother predators. In 2000, angry villagers nearThrumshingla National Park killed a tiger bypoisoning a tiger kill.

Tiger prey species such as wild pig andsambar cause considerable damage toagricultural crops. As much as 41.9 percent ofall farm households on an average hadreported crop damage by wild animals (MoA2002). Villagers often set up snares and traps

Improper alignment can cause breaks inhabitat connectivity

Indiscriminate snaring kills manyuntargeted animals

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compelled by economic forces to let survivaland their immediate livelihoods takeprecedence over any long-term effect. It wasthrough a livestock protection programme inthe 1980s that many wild dog populationswere exterminated from some regions of thecountry. A profusion of wild pigs followed thecrash in wild dog populations, and soonfarmers all across the country were lamentingabout crop loss due to wild pigs. There is agradual trend of urbanization and migration ofyouth from rural to urban areas. Increasingly,the urban youth are removed from theirnatural surroundings and lose awarenessabout the interconnected of the ecosystemsthat was so obvious in their rural settings.

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Although the tiger program has been up andrunning since 1996, the program still lacks agood information database. There is a definiteneed to set up a centralized database at NCDto store survey data from various fieldsurveys. Information from previous surveys

to catch these animals. The most widely usedsteel wire snares are indiscriminate andfrequently kill predators as well. It is importantto take this aspect of human wildlife conflictinto consideration as well.

To this end, in 1995, the Department ofForests notified herders and farmers thatsuch practices were considered illegal andthat they would face legal action iffound guilty.

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Approximately 79 percent of the Bhutanesepopulation are agrarian and live in closeproximity to tiger habitat. However, the peopleare, for the most part, not aware of long-termconsequences of environmental destruction.Often, many rural people and governmentofficials do not understand clearly thedynamics of predator-prey relationships and,therefore, are unable to relate to theconsequences of removing predators such asthe tiger or wild dog. At other times they are

Livestock killed by tiger

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has not been properly stored and cannot beeasily retrieved. Lack of a systematicprocedure for data collection, compilation,analysis and development of managementprescriptions remain as a stumbling block forbetter-informed tiger conservation efforts.There are plans for numerous field studiesincluding grid-based index, line transect, andcamera-trapping surveys of tiger and preyspecies. In order for all of these efforts to beuseful, a sound database has to be setup in NCD.

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There is an acute shortage of manpower at alllevels. The Nature Conservation Division ofthe Department of Forests has a staff of only223 to manage and protect the protectedareas network of the country. Similarly, theTiger Conservation Program and the TigerConservation Fund is coordinated by a singleperson but the implementation of programactivities are carried out with manpower fromterritorial forest divisions and parks.

Anti-poaching team briefing before heading out on a patrol

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Bhutan is fortunate to have an extensive landarea under forest cover, with approximately 35percent set aside in protected areas linked bybiological corridors. A landscape approach toconservation is essential for the long-termsurvival of floral and faunal diversity.However, one of the impeding factors to theeffective management and conservation ofrich biodiversity is the lack of detailedinformation on this diverse biodiversity, be itthe tiger, prey species or local socio-economic activities. It is recognized thatsuch information is crucial for the successfulimplementation of any conservation andmanagement interventions.

Bhutan's Tiger Action Plan (TAP) 2006 - 2015will address the key threats identified above.The planning of the Tiger Action Plan waspart of an international conference held inBhutan in September 2004 to update theexisting Tiger Conservation Strategy. Thestrategy used in designing the Tiger ActionPlan had three focal themes: speciesconservation - covering the tiger, its preyspecies and their status; habitat conservation- including forests, protected areas andbiological corridors; and, human-wildlifeconflict management - including conflictsarising between humans and wildlife.

Participants were divided into three groupsand discussions were held on topics ofspecies conservation, habitat conservationand human-wildlife conflict management. The

groups conducted situational analyses,identified threats and recommended actionsto mitigate these threats. These three themeswere then integrated to formulate a TigerAction Plan for the next decade.

This TAP is arranged into three major themes:species conservation, habitat conservation,and human-wildlife conflict management. Inorder to achieve the objectives within thesethemes, a fourth section focuses on creatingan enabling environment, which includes aneducation and awareness program, regionalcooperation and human resourcedevelopment.

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To maintain a viable interconnected populationof breeding tigers in Bhutan, a populationexisting predominately on wild prey withminimal conflict between humans and tigers

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Species Conservation� In the first five years, develop field-based

information on tiger and ungulate preypopulation status (ecology, demography,genetics), with special focus on three keyareas (Royal Manas NP representing thesubtropical belt, JSWNP representing themiddle hills, and JDNP representing thenorthern temperate belt). This is then tobe replicated in other areas representativeof the whole country by 2015

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� Suppress killing of tiger and prey species,and halt the illegal trade of tiger parts andproducts, and other endangered wildlife

Habitat Conservation� Assess a country-wide tiger and prey

habitat status and change over time usingGIS and remote-sensing, identify criticalareas for management intervention inorder to maintain habitat contiguity

� Identify existing conflicting land-usepolicies affecting tiger and prey habitatand resolve them through multi-sectoraldialogue, and develop a legal mechanismto ensure future policies adequatelyaccommodate tiger conservationconcerns

Human-Wildlife Conflict Management� Determine main causes of livestock

depredation by tigers in three areasincluding Punakha Dzongkhag (wherelivestock depredation was highest in2004) in order to understand the conflictso that appropriate remedies can beadopted. This study would then bereplicated to other sites

� Reduce retaliatory killing throughpreventive and mitigation measures aswell as incentives

�����������!��������*����

Education and Awareness Program� Increase general awareness on the tiger's

ecological and cultural significance tovarious stakeholders and audiences

Regional Cooperation� Reduce trans-boundary poaching through

bilateral dialogue, legislation andenforcement, as well as explore trans-boundary cooperation for habitat linkages

Human Resource Development� Increase the number of adequately

trained staff of NCD/DOF

0�������� ��� �������

Objective A1: In the first five years, develop adatabase on tiger and ungulate preypopulation status (ecology, demography andgenetics) and trends, with special focus onthree key areas (Royal Manas NPrepresenting the subtropical belt, JSWNPrepresenting the middle hills, and JDNPrepresenting the northern temperate belt) by2010. This is then to be replicated in otherareas representative of the whole countryby 2015.

The last nationwide tiger survey wasconducted in 1998. At that time, the totalpopulation was estimated to be between 67 to81 breeding tigers. There is a need to furtherupdate this result using more intensivesurveys, and to determine whether thepopulation is increasing, decreasing or stable.

In order to narrow down the study focus, threesites representing the sub-tropical belt(RMNP), middle hills (JSWNP) and thenorthern temperate belt (JDNP) will beselected to represent different parts andstrata of a larger contiguous landscape. Theproposed surveys will be conducted bypooling key field staff from respective PAsand NCD, after training them on surveymethodology. Most of the staff selected havealready undergone previous training on tigerand prey surveys.

In each of the sites, tiger and prey distributionand relative abundance will be surveyed usinginterviews, index-surveys, line transects, andcapture-recapture sampling with double-sidedcamera-traps.

Additionally, the program will embark onresearch projects concerned with tigerecology, prey species and habitat conditionsin the country. The identified teams willundergo a short training program, and willthen be trained on-the-job. One component ofthe field research will focus on analysis of

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tiger diet composition through scat analysis.A reference slide collection of ungulate hairand tissues will be developed for use by NCD.This will further provide information on thegenetic diversity and viability of the tigerpopulation in Bhutan through non-invasivecollection and analysis of tiger DNA materials(to be carried out at the PCR lab of theMinistry of Agriculture).

Information associated with tiger range,territory and movement patterns and behaviorwould be useful and provide better tools forconservation. Due to difficult terrain in muchof the country, conventional VHF radio collarswill be useful only in limited places like partsof RMNP where animals can be tracked fromelephant-back, on foot and from vehicles. Itmight be possible to track animals on theeastern and northern sides of JSWNP fromalong the highway. However, resourcepermitting, GPS satellite collars should beused for radio telemetry studies as far aspossible in most parts of Bhutan.

Output� Data on tiger and prey distribution and

their relative abundance in three PAscollected, which would then beextrapolated to the larger adjoining areas,and finally to the whole country

� Information on tiger ecology and rangingbehavior in Bhutan collected

� A detailed report on the genetic profileand long-term viability of the tigerpopulation in Bhutan produced

� Spatial distribution and habitat partitionby wild herbivores in the three studyareas determined

� Reference slide collection of ungulate hairand tissue samples, and an identificationmanual prepared

Activities� Establish randomly selected grid-based

study sites of adequate size in the fieldfor routine monitoring of tiger and preypopulations

� Conduct index surveys, line transectsurveys, and capture-recapture samplingsurveys using camera traps to evaluatetiger and prey distribution and relativeabundance for each one of the three PAsselected

� Study the behavior and ecology of thetiger and its prey species using radiotelemetry, camera trapping and othermodern techniques

� Survey and assess tiger and prey habitatconditions

� Obtain, tranquilize and take geneticsamples from collections of blood andtissue from wild tigers captured for radiotelemetry or those that die from othercauses

� Conduct DNA testing and other geneticstudies of tigers

� Perform exploratory population viabilitymodeling

� Establish a permanent monitoringsystem of the habitats of the main tigerprey species

� Determine food habits of tigers throughtiger scat analysis, and develop areference collection of ungulate hairsamples and an identification manual

Objective A2: Suppress killing of tiger andprey species, and halt the illegal trade oftiger parts and products, and otherendangered wildlife.

In the period between 1999 and 2003, threetigers were reported to have been poachedbased on apprehension reports compiled bythe Forest Department. In the same period atotal of 17 sambar and 19 musk deerpoaching cases were reported (FPUD 2004).While these are relatively low figures, it islikely that several cases have goneunreported. Further, the low poaching recordis also a direct result of stringent anti-poaching efforts by the Forest Departmentboth inside the PAs and outside.

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In anticipation of and to prevent poaching,there is need to put in place an effective anti-poaching patrol system that is well equipped,trained, and well-informed. An informernetwork comprising local communitymembers should enhance detection ofpoachers and poaching activities. The existingpenalties for wildlife crime, especiallypertaining to killing of tiger and illegallytrading in tiger parts is very low, and does notact as a deterrent: killing a tiger has amonetary fine ranging from Nu 50,000 (USD1,100) to 2,00,000 (USD 4,400) and orimprisonment up to five years. This has to bereviewed and updated to make the penaltiesstronger so that they act as deterrents towildlife crimes.

Output� Two-hundred government officials

representing various law enforcement,airport and border regulatory authorities,and tourism agencies trained inidentification of wildlife and wildlife parts,CITES regulations and national andinternational legislation regarding illegalwildlife trade

� Killing of tiger and prey species and otherwildlife crime reduced or stopped

� The Schedule of Fines in the Forest andNature Conservation Act reviewed andupdated

Activities� Organize training on identification of

wildlife parts and products for ForestDepartment, Customs, Police, Tourism,Bhutan Agriculture and Food RegulatoryAuthority (BAFRA), Immigration and otherrelevant law enforcement officials

� Establish network of informants usinglocal communities to assist in detectionof poachers and poaching activities

� Strengthen anti-poaching capacity byproviding effective communicationequipment and field gear

� Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols andsurprise checks by PA and ForestDepartment staff

� Survey poached animals and plants, andidentify and document trade routes,volumes and market forces

��#��������� �������

Objective B1: Identify critical areas of tigerand prey habitat for management intervention,using GIS and remote sensing, in order tomaintain habitat integrity and contiguity

Bhutan is fast developing with a myriad ofdevelopmental activities occurringsimultaneously across the country. As aresult, there is a great risk that critical tigerand prey habitat will be converted forinfrastructure development. This is especiallytrue for the broadleaf forests that lie in theindustrial belt of the south, which are alsocritical corridors connecting tiger habitat inIndia. In order to understand the dynamics ofhabitat change over time, a detailed analysisof forest cover change will be carried outusing time-series satellite images. Suchanalyses will be coupled with ground-truthingwhere necessary. This will then provide a toolwith which to identify critical breaks in habitatcontiguity and highlight threatened areas.Having done this, appropriate habitatprotection and managementrecommendations can be made.

Output� Forest cover change maps (from 1960's -

or earliest available - till present)developed

� Maps highlighting critical and potentialbreaks in connectivity developed

� Report on overall habitat status andmanagement prescriptions produced

� Map of critical tiger and prey habitatdeveloped

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Activities� Interpret satellite image and classify

vegetation types based on existing LUSSvegetation types for one standard ofvegetation classification

� Carry out forest cover change detectionover time

� Identify critical and potential breaks,validate causes for these on the ground,and restore the breaks or removepotential threats

� Develop criteria for defining critical tigerand prey habitat developed based oninformation on tiger and prey distribution,usage of habitat, level of threat andothers

� Delineate critical tiger and prey habitat,especially in the southern broadleaf beltthat should be closely observed forupcoming or planned industrial orinfrastructure development

Objective B2: Identify existing conflictingland-use policies affecting tiger and preyhabitat and resolve them through multi-sectoraldialogue, and develop a legal mechanism toensure future policies adequatelyaccommodate tiger conservation concerns

A systematic review of all the legislationregarding land-use has to be carried out inorder to highlight conflicting issues. Thesewill then need to be discussed and resolved.For this purpose, a multi-sectoral consultationworkshop will be organized. The workshop willbring together representatives from sectorssuch as agriculture, forests, livestock, surveyand land record, road, energy and trade andindustry. Key stakeholders such as theBhutan Power Corporation, the Royal AuditAuthority, the National EnvironmentalCommission Secretariat (NECS) and privateorganizations will also participate in theconsultations. The workshop is expected tomake recommendations to the government onmeasures for land-use conflict resolution andthe means to resolve them.

The Royal Audit Authority (RAA) now has thecapability to perform environmental audits. Itis important for the Department of Forests tonominate a forestry official to be on the RAAcommittee in order to put forth concerns ofthe department. A mechanism will also be putinto effect that will assure the Department ofForests' review of all developmental activitiesbefore the NEC issues "environmental clearance".This is primarily to avoid any destruction tocritical wildlife habitat. The Department ofForests will also need to form a review teamthat will review proposals before the issuanceof "environmental clearance".

Output� A gap analysis report of all policies and

legislation related to land-use, highlightingloopholes, bottlenecks and conflictingissues with regards to threats to criticaltiger and prey habitat compiled

� A mechanism and protocol to consult orinform the review committee on anydevelopmental activities in critical tigerand prey habitat put in place

Activities� Contract a legal expert to work with NCD

to carry out a gap analysis of all relevantexisting legislation pertaining to land-usethat could have a negative impact oncritical tiger and prey habitat

� Conduct multi-sectoral consultationworkshops on conflicting land-use in orderto resolve existing conflicts and preventfuture conflicts

� Appoint a Forest Departmentrepresentative to the environmentalauditing committee

� Identify land-use conflict zones(development and infrastructure projects)based on surveys and habitat analyses

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��#����(&����������������.���������

Objective C1: Determine main causes oflivestock depredation by tigers in three areasincluding Punakha Dzongkhag (wherelivestock depredation was highest in 2004) inorder to understand the conflict so thatappropriate remedies can be adopted. Thisstudy would then be replicated to other sites.

In 2004, 648 cases of livestock depredationby tiger and other carnivores across thecountry were reported. Out of these 122cases were related to depredation by tiger(Sangay 2004). Based on survey reports,most of the depredation occurred during themonths of July-September coinciding with therainy monsoon season. Why is thishappening? If there is adequate prey, why arelivestock preyed upon? Could we attributelivestock depredation to low prey density, orpoor livestock management, or are there otherreasons? To understand and resolve human-wildlife conflict these questions must beanswered. When the causes for depredationare identified, appropriate remedial measuresmust be taken. The program would also liketo build a geo-referenced database onlivestock depredation that will be crucial in theidentification of depredation hotspots in thecountry. Once these hotspots are identifiedand mapped, detailed investigations must becarried out to understand the main causes oflivestock depredation.

Output� Livestock depredation hotspot map

produced� Report on livestock depredation by tiger

that highlights its relation to habitatquality, prey abundance, humaninfluences and other factors

� Successful interventions tried and testedto prevent livestock depredation andmitigate human-wildlife conflict

Activities� Set up a geo-referenced database on

livestock depredation and map hotspots� Conduct studies in areas that have the

highest number of tiger depredation casesto compare with other tiger areas withlittle or no depredation

� Explore appropriate remedial measureslike providing improved breed of cattle (todiscourage open grazing in the forest),reinforced corrals to protect cattle andother livestock, and improved animalhusbandry practices

Objective C2: Reduce retaliatory killing oftiger and prey species through prevention andmitigation measures as well as incentives.

At present, the program does not have anycredible livestock data regarding: 1) livestockholding, 2) livestock type/breed, 3) rearingsystems (free ranging, migratory and stall-fed), 4) migratory routes and stations, and 5)population trends (whether the population isstable, increasing or decreasing by breed).Livestock information will be sought from theDepartment of Livestock and will be cross-checked with the RNR census database tobuild a database for future assessment onlivestock-related issues. The program willalso explore experimental measures forreducing livestock depredation, i.e. agricultureintensification programs designed to changethe livelihood of people who depend solely onlivestock, promotion of superior breeds, stallfeeding, infrastructure enhancement andimproved husbandry practices. In order tofoster friendly relations with livestock ownersand to prevent retaliatory killings, the programhas started the ambitious Tiger ConservationFund, a compensation scheme tocompensate owners for livestock killed bytigers, snow leopards, common leopards orHimalayan black bears. This scheme wasbegun three years ago and there is aneed to study its effectiveness whileexploring alternative measures or incentivesto cash compensation.

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Output� Report on the analysis of the existing

compensation scheme produced� A database on livestock information and

depredation cases in the countrydeveloped

� Various options for preventive and conflictmitigation measures explored and put inplace

� Peoples' attitude towards, andacceptance of human-wildlife conflictstudied

Activities� Evaluate current compensation schemes

and explore opportunities forimprovement

� Collation of livestock information fromvarious districts and other institutions

� Explore other opportunities and options tocompensation

� Conduct survey on local people'sperception on wildlife damages

����������!�������

!���������

���!�������������01���� ������

Objective D1: Increase general awareness onthe tiger's ecological and cultural significanceto various stakeholders and audiences

The participation and ownership of localresidents are the most important factors forthe success of any conservation effort. Localcommunities should be made aware of theimportance and significance of theconservation of endangered species like thetiger. The benefits of tiger conservationshould be understood, appreciated andreceived by those who have to live with thetiger, often losing their primary source oflivelihood to depradation.

Output:� Education materials (print, electronic,

audio/visual) on ecological and culturalsignificance of tigers prepared anddistributed

� These materials included by EducationDepartment in school curricula at differentlevels

� Education and awareness materialsprepared and distributed to the urban andrural public, at border entry points, check-posts and other relevant places

Activities:� Printing of education materials on

ecological and cultural significance oftigers in Bhutan

� Production of a 30-minute audio-visual aswell as radio program on the status oftigers in Bhutan, threats to its survival,and long-term conservation needs

� Consultation meeting with the EducationDepartment, particularly the CurriculumDivision, to discuss the inclusion of tiger-specific chapters in science andenvironmental studies in the lower schoolcurricula

� Discussion with Sherubtse College,Natural Resources Training Institute,Ugyen Wangchuck Institute of Forestryand Environmental Studies and BhutanForestry Institute to include tiger-specificchapters in their lesson plans

� Identify network of institutions, natureclubs, schools and community groups inthe urban and rural public, at border entrypoints, check-posts and other relevantplaces to distribute printed educationalmaterial

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!��+�����������������

Objective 5: Reduce trans-boundarypoaching through bilateral dialogue,legislation and enforcement, and exploretrans-boundary cooperation to maintain andimprove habitat linkages.

Tiger habitat in Bhutan spreads across atleast six protected areas (additional surveysare likely to yield positive data from moreareas). It is further connected to India atManas Tiger Reserve in Assam, and BuxaTiger Reserve and Jaldapara WildlifeSanctuary in West Bengal. This forms acontiguous tiger habitat all the way toNamdapha in Arunachal Pradesh on theMyanmar border, resulting in one of thelargest contiguous TCU's in the region.Bhutan is a landlocked nation that sharesopen borders with India in the east, west andsouth, and China in the north. Theseextensive borders are very porous and areoften actively used for poaching and illegalwildlife trade activities. It is of utmostimportance to collate information on trans-boundary issues of wildlife trade and poachingin order to understand their nature and extent.

There is a need to organize frequent trans-boundary meetings to discuss cross-borderpoaching and wildlife trade. A Memorandumof Understanding (MOU) that will includedetailed legal provisions for prosecuting andextraditing foreign offenders has to be signedbetween the Royal Government of Bhutan andthe Government of India. In addition, jointanti-poaching patrols need to be stepped upto monitor border protected areas such asRoyal Manas National Park, Phibsoo andKhaling Wildlife Sanctuaries. Exchange visitsbetween Bhutanese and Indian Forestofficials will allow them to share experienceson PA management, and discuss issues ofcommon concern especially regardingpoaching, habitat destruction and otherwildlife crimes.

Output� Protocol and Memorandum of

Understanding drawn up and signedbetween the Royal Government of Bhutanand Government of India

� Joint anti-poaching patrolling of borderprotected areas increased

� Joint exchanges of field visits to shareexperiences and discuss issues ofcommon concern increased

Activities� Identify and establish a baseline of

hotspots in poaching and wildlife tradeactivities

� Study the current legislation gaps andprotocol developed for the prosecution ofinternational poachers that will be themain content of the MOU with the Indianauthorities

� Initiate dialogue on trans-boundaryconservation issues between India andBhutan

� Conduct joint inspection and patrols ofborder PAs with Indian authorities

� Arrange exchange visits betweenBhutanese and Indian forest officials

*��#�����+� ���� ������������

Objective 6: Increase the number ofadequately trained staff of NCD/DOF andpartners to implement the Tiger Action Plan.

At present, the country is acutely short ofhuman resource at all levels. This isespecially true in the protected areas. Tocope with this, the Department of Forests hasemployed villagers as forest guards to helpreinforce the protection of forests. Thesevillage forest guards need basic training insurveying and monitoring wildlife. There isalso a need for additional training to locally-trained foresters in order to update their skillsin survey methodologies adapted to localconditions. These trainings will be in the formof specialized courses, study tours andattendance at various regional and

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international conferences and workshops ontiger and wildlife conservation. In order toimplement the Tiger Action Plan, the followingcapacity building activities are foreseen:

Training on Survey Methodologies andMonitoring TechniquesPresently, untrained personnel execute theprogram activities in the field and as a result,information generated is not compatible oruseful. The program will trained some(territorial divisions and parks) field staffs onsurvey methodologies and monitoringtechniques for two weeks. The training willenhance their capacity to carry out programactivities independently.

Training on Advanced and IntensiveResearch and Sampling MethodsThe Tiger Conservation Program will initiateand implement field research projects asrequired. To enhance the capability of locallytrained staff members, they will join a twelve-week intensive course on research andsurvey methodologies in a regional institutionsuch as the Wildlife Institute of India.. Thecourse will be tailor-made to meet ourrequirements and is expected to include: 1)development of research proposals, 2)various survey techniques such as cameratrapping, pellet group sampling, line transects,etc. 3) data collection, 4) identification ofanimal signs, 5) tracking animals using radiotelemetry, 6) use of GPS, 7) statisticalanalysis (spatial analysis using GIS), 8)conservation biology (including wildlife healthand medicine) and, 9) tranquilizing animals.Upon completion of the training, they will formthe core team for program implementation.

� Training on advanced and intensiveresearch and sampling methods

� Long-term studies

� Training in scat analysis� Training on capture and recapture

sampling� Training on image classification using GIS

and remote sensing� Training on survey methodologies and

monitoring techniques� In-country training on survey methods� In-country workshop� Regional and international meetings� Hosting General Assembly and Executive

Committee Meeting of the Global TigerForum in the year of the Tiger (2010)

� Training course in management of wildtigers

� Training in wildlife management andconservation biology

Output� 50 staff from territorial forest divisions

and six protected areas trained in theregion on these specialized courses viz.research and sampling methods, scatanalysis, capture and recapture sampling,survey methodologies and monitoringtechniques and image classification andremote sensing

� 400 staff involved with the program willattend or participate in the in-countrytraining and workshop, and attendcourses on wildlife management andconservation biology

� 70 senior staff attended regional andinternational meetings, workshops andconferences on matters related to tigerand wildlife conservation

Activities� Co-ordinate and organize various training

needs of the program staff (as perannexure I)

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Year

120

05-0

6

Dat

a on

tige

r an

d pr

eydi

strib

utio

n an

d th

eir

rela

tive

abun

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e PA

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llect

ed,

whi

ch w

ould

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nbe

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d to

the

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erad

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area

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nd f

inal

ly t

oth

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hole

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Info

rmat

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iger

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logy

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beha

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col

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A de

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on th

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netic

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file

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viab

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e tig

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Spat

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Ref

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e fie

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Con

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and

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f the

thre

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and

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from

wild

tig

ers

capt

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for

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o-te

lem

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or

that

die

d fro

mot

her

caus

es.

Year

220

06-0

7

4705

.88

1176

4.71

2352

.94

Year

320

07-0

8

4705

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1176

4.71

2352

.94

Year

420

08-9

4705

.88

1176

4.71

2352

.94

Year

520

09-1

0Ye

ar 6

2010

-11

Year

720

11-1

2Ye

ar 8

2012

-13

Year

920

013-

14Ye

ar 1

020

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5To

tal

in U

SD

4705

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4.71

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4.71

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4705

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2352

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2352

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5882

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1176

4.71

1176

4.71

2352

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5882

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1176

4.71

Out

put

Act

iviti

es

Spec

ies

Con

serv

atio

n

Obj

ectiv

e: •

In

the

first

fiv

e ye

ars,

dev

elop

fie

ld-b

ased

inf

orm

atio

n on

tig

er a

nd u

ngul

ate

prey

pop

ulat

ion

stat

us (

ecol

ogy,

dem

ogra

phy,

gen

etic

s),

with

spe

cial

foc

us o

n th

ree

key

area

s (R

oyal

Man

as N

P re

pres

entin

g th

e su

btro

pica

l be

lt, J

SWN

P re

pres

entin

g th

e m

iddl

e hi

lls,

and

JDN

P re

pres

entin

g th

e no

rthe

rn t

empe

rate

bel

t). T

his

is t

hen

to b

e re

plic

ated

in

othe

r ar

eas

repr

esen

tativ

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the

who

le c

ount

ry b

y 20

15.

2352

.94

5882

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1176

4.71

5882

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2352

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5882

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1176

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5882

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2352

.94

5882

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5882

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0.00

3529

4.12

8823

5.29

6470

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Am

ount

in

USD

Goa

l: 'to

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nter

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of b

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tiger

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Bhu

tan,

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rey

with

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imal

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man

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ers'

��

��

��

��

�

��

��

�

��

��

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

Year

120

05-0

6Ye

ar 2

2006

-07

Year

320

07-0

8Ye

ar 4

2008

-9Ye

ar 5

2009

-10

Year

620

10-1

1Ye

ar 7

2011

-12

Year

820

12-1

3Ye

ar 9

2001

3-14

Year

10

2014

-15

Tota

lin

USD

Out

put

Act

iviti

esA

mou

nt i

n U

SD

Con

duct

DN

A te

stin

g an

d ot

her

gene

tic s

tudi

es o

f tig

ers.

Perfo

rm e

xplo

rato

ry p

opul

atio

nvi

abili

ty m

odel

ing

Esta

blis

h a

per

man

ent m

onito

ring

syst

em o

f the

hab

itats

of t

he m

ain

tiger

pre

y sp

ecie

s

Det

erm

ine

food

hab

its o

f tig

ers

thro

ugh

tiger

sca

t an

alys

is,

and

deve

lop

a re

fere

nce

colle

ctio

n of

ungu

late

hai

r sa

mpl

es a

nd a

nid

entif

icat

ion

man

ual

Org

aniz

e tra

inin

g on

iden

tific

atio

n of

wild

life

parts

and

pro

duct

s fo

r Fo

rest

Dep

artm

ent,

Cus

tom

s, P

olic

e,To

uris

m,

Bhut

an A

gric

ultu

re a

ndFo

od R

egul

ator

y Au

thor

ity (

BAFR

A),

Imm

igra

tion

and

othe

r re

leva

nt la

wen

forc

emen

t of

ficia

ls

Esta

blis

h ne

twor

k of

info

rman

ts u

sing

loca

l com

mun

ities

to

assi

st in

dete

ctio

n of

poa

cher

s an

d po

achi

ngac

tiviti

es

Stre

ngth

en a

nti-p

oach

ing

capa

city

by

prov

idin

g ef

fect

ive

com

mun

icat

ion

equi

pmen

t and

fiel

d ge

ar

2352

.94

2352

.94

4705

.88

2352

.94

9411

.76

2352

.94

4705

.88

2352

.94

9411

.76

2352

.94

4705

.88

2352

.94

9411

.76

2352

.94

2352

.94

2352

.94

4705

.88

2352

.94

2352

.94

2352

.94

4705

.88

1176

4.71

4705

.88

2352

.94

4705

.88

1176

4.71

5882

.35

2352

.94

4705

.88

1176

4.71

5882

.35

2352

.94

4705

.88

1176

4.71

5882

.35

2352

.94

4705

.88

1176

4.71

5882

.35

2352

.94

4705

.88

5882

3.53

2352

9.41

1176

4.71

1647

0.59

9411

.76

2352

9.41

6117

6.47

Obj

ectiv

e: •

Sup

pres

s ki

lling

of

tiger

and

pre

y sp

ecie

s, a

nd h

alt

the

illeg

al t

rade

of

tiger

par

ts a

nd p

rodu

cts,

and

oth

er e

ndan

gere

d w

ildlif

e.

200

gove

rnm

ent

offic

ials

repr

esen

ting

vario

us la

wen

forc

emen

t, ai

rpor

t an

dbo

rder

reg

ulat

ory

auth

oriti

es,

and

tour

ism

age

ncie

s tra

ined

in id

entif

icat

ion

of w

ildlif

e an

dw

ildlif

e pa

rts,

on C

ITES

regu

latio

ns, a

nd o

n na

tiona

lan

d in

tern

atio

nal l

egis

latio

nre

gard

ing

illega

l wild

life

trade

Killin

g of

tige

r an

d pr

eysp

ecie

s, a

nd o

ther

wild

life

crim

e re

duce

d or

sto

pped

The

Sche

dule

of f

ines

in th

eFo

rest

and

Nat

ure

Con

serv

atio

n Ac

t re

view

edan

d up

date

d

��

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

Year

120

05-0

6Ye

ar 2

2006

-07

Year

320

07-0

8Ye

ar 4

2008

-9Ye

ar 5

2009

-10

Year

620

10-1

1Ye

ar 7

2011

-12

Year

820

12-1

3Ye

ar 9

2001

3-14

Year

10

2014

-15

Tota

lin

USD

Out

put

Act

iviti

esA

mou

nt i

n U

SD

Obj

ectiv

e: •

Sup

pres

s ki

lling

of

tiger

and

pre

y sp

ecie

s, a

nd h

alt

the

illeg

al t

rade

of

tiger

par

ts a

nd p

rodu

cts,

and

oth

er e

ndan

gere

d w

ildlif

e.

Con

duct

reg

ular

ant

i-poa

chin

g pa

trol

and

surp

rise

chec

king

by

PA a

ndFo

rest

Dep

artm

ent s

taff

Con

duct

sur

vey

on p

oach

ed a

nim

als

and

plan

ts,

as w

ell a

s id

entif

y an

ddo

cum

ent

trade

rou

tes,

vol

umes

and

mar

ket

forc

es.

Inte

rpre

t sa

tellit

e im

age

and

clas

sify

vege

tatio

n ty

pes

base

d on

exi

stin

gLU

SS v

eget

atio

n ty

pes

to m

aint

ain

one

stan

dard

of v

eget

atio

ncl

assi

ficat

ion

Car

ry o

ut f

ores

t co

ver

chan

gede

tect

ion

over

tim

e

Dev

elop

crit

eria

for

defin

ing

criti

cal

tiger

and

pre

y ha

bita

t de

velo

ped,

base

d on

info

rmat

ion

on ti

ger

and

prey

dis

tribu

tion,

usa

ge o

f ha

bita

t,le

vel o

f thr

eat a

nd o

ther

s

Iden

tify

criti

cal a

nd p

oten

tial b

reak

s,va

lidat

e ca

uses

for

thes

e on

the

grou

nd, a

nd r

esto

re th

e br

eaks

or

rem

ove

pote

ntia

l thr

eats

Delin

eate

crit

ical t

iger

and

pre

y ha

bita

t,es

pecia

lly in

the

sout

hern

bro

adle

af b

elt

that

sho

uld

be "

close

ly ob

serv

ed"

for

upco

min

g or

pla

nned

indu

stria

l or

infra

stru

ctur

e de

velo

pmen

t

1176

.47

1176

.47

1176

4.71

1176

.47

7058

.82

1176

.47

4705

.88

1176

.47

5882

.35

1176

.47

7058

.82

1176

.47

1176

.47

1176

.47

1176

.47

1176

.47

1176

.47

1176

4.71

2352

.94

1176

4.71

7058

.82

4705

.88

5882

.35

7058

.82

Hab

itat

Con

serv

atio

n

Obj

ectiv

e: I

dent

ify c

ritic

al a

reas

of

tiger

and

pre

y ha

bita

t fo

r m

anag

emen

t in

terv

entio

n, u

sing

GIS

and

rem

ote

sens

ing,

in

orde

r to

mai

ntai

n ha

bita

t in

tegr

ity a

nd c

ontig

uity

Fore

st c

over

cha

nge

map

s(fr

om 1

960’

s –

or e

arlie

stav

aila

ble

– til

l pre

sent

)de

velo

ped

Map

s hi

ghlig

htin

g cr

itica

l and

pote

ntia

l bre

aks

inco

nnec

tivity

dev

elop

ed

Rep

ort o

n ov

eral

l hab

itat

stat

us a

nd m

anag

emen

tpr

escr

iptio

ns p

rodu

ced

Map

of c

ritic

al ti

ger

and

prey

habi

tat

deve

lope

d

��

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

Year

120

05-0

6Ye

ar 2

2006

-07

Year

320

07-0

8Ye

ar 4

2008

-9Ye

ar 5

2009

-10

Year

620

10-1

1Ye

ar 7

2011

-12

Year

820

12-1

3Ye

ar 9

2001

3-14

Year

10

2014

-15

Tota

lin

USD

Out

put

Act

iviti

esA

mou

nt i

n U

SD

Con

tract

a le

gal e

xper

t to

wor

k w

ithN

CD

to

carry

out

a g

ap a

naly

sis

ofal

l rel

evan

t ex

istin

g le

gisl

atio

npe

rtain

ing

to la

nd u

se th

at c

ould

hav

ea

nega

tive

impa

ct o

n cr

itica

l tig

er a

ndpr

ey h

abita

t.

Con

duct

mul

ti-se

ctor

al c

onsu

ltatio

nw

orks

hops

on

conf

lictin

g la

nd u

se ii

nor

der

to r

esol

ve e

xist

ing

conf

licts

and

prev

ent

futu

re c

onfli

cts

Appo

int a

For

est D

epar

tmen

tre

pres

enta

tive

to t

he e

nviro

nmen

tal

audi

ting

com

mitt

ee

Iden

tify

land

-use

con

flict

zon

es(d

evel

opm

ent

and

infra

stru

ctur

epr

ojec

ts)

base

d on

sur

veys

and

habi

tat

anal

yses

.

5882

.35

3529

.41

1176

.47

2352

.94

5882

.35

3529

.41

1176

.47

2352

.94

Obj

ectiv

e: I

dent

ify e

xist

ing

conf

lictin

g la

nd u

se p

olic

ies

affe

ctin

g tig

er a

nd p

rey

habi

tat

and

reso

lve

them

thr

ough

mul

ti-se

ctor

al d

ialo

gue,

and

dev

elop

a l

egal

mec

hani

sm t

o en

sure

fut

ure

polic

ies

adeq

uate

ly a

ccom

mod

ate

tiger

con

serv

atio

n

A ga

p an

alys

is r

epor

t of a

llpo

licie

s an

d le

gisl

atio

nre

late

d to

land

use

,hi

ghlig

htin

g lo

opho

les,

bottl

enec

ks a

nd c

onfli

ctin

gis

sues

with

reg

ards

to

thre

ats

to c

ritic

al ti

ger

and

prey

hab

itat

com

pile

d

A m

echa

nism

and

pro

toco

l to

cons

ult

or in

form

the

rev

iew

com

mitt

ee o

n an

yde

velo

pmen

tal a

ctiv

ities

up

in c

ritic

al t

iger

and

pre

yha

bita

t put

in p

lace

.

��

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

Year

120

05-0

6Ye

ar 2

2006

-07

Year

320

07-0

8Ye

ar 4

2008

-9Ye

ar 5

2009

-10

Year

620

10-1

1Ye

ar 7

2011

-12

Year

820

12-1

3Ye

ar 9

2001

3-14

Year

10

2014

-15

Tota

lin

USD

Out

put

Act

iviti

esA

mou

nt i

n U

SD

Set u

p a

geo-

refe

renc

ed d

atab

ase

onliv

esto

ck d

epre

datio

n an

d m

apho

tspo

ts

Con

duct

stu

dies

in a

reas

whi

ch h

ave

high

est

num

ber

of d

epre

datio

n ca

ses

by ti

ger

to c

ompa

re w

ith o

ther

tige

rar

eas

with

out

any

depr

edat

ion,

or

whe

re d

epre

datio

n is

low

.

Expl

ore

appr

opria

te r

emed

ial

mea

sure

s su

ch a

s pr

ovid

ing

impr

oved

bre

ed o

f cat

tle (

todi

scou

rage

ope

n gr

azin

g in

the

fore

st),

rein

forc

ed c

orra

ls to

bet

ter

prot

ect

cattl

e an

d ot

her

lives

tock

, an

dim

prov

ed a

nim

al h

usba

ndry

pra

ctic

es

Eval

uate

cur

rent

com

pens

atio

nsc

hem

es a

nd e

xplo

re o

ppor

tuni

ties

for

impr

ovem

ent.

Col

latio

n of

live

stoc

k in

form

atio

n fro

mva

rious

dis

trict

s an

d ot

her

inst

itutio

ns

Expl

ore

othe

r op

portu

nitie

s an

dop

tions

to

com

pens

atio

n

Con

duct

sur

vey

on lo

cal p

eopl

e’s

perc

eptio

n on

wild

life

dam

ages

5882

.35

2352

.94

1764

.71

4705

.88

2352

.94

1764

.71

4705

.88

2352

.94

2352

.94

1764

.71

1764

.71

1176

.47

1176

.47

1176

.47

1176

.47

2000

0.00

1411

7.65

1058

8.24

2352

.94

2352

.94

2352

.94

2352

.94

Hum

an/W

ildlif

e C

onfli

ct M

anag

emen

t

Obj

ectiv

e: •

Det

erm

ine

mai

n ca

uses

of

lives

tock

dep

reda

tion

by t

iger

s in

3 a

reas

inc

ludi

ng P

unak

ha D

zong

khag

(w

here

liv

esto

ck d

epre

datio

n w

as h

ighe

st i

n 20

04)

in o

rder

to

unde

rsta

nd t

heco

nflic

t so

tha

t ap

prop

riate

rem

edie

s ca

n be

ado

pted

. Th

is s

tudy

wou

ld t

hen

be r

eplic

ated

to

othe

r si

tes

Live

stoc

k de

pred

atio

n ho

tspo

tm

ap p

rodu

ced

Rep

ort

on li

vest

ock

depr

edat

ion

by ti

ger

that

high

light

s its

rel

ated

ness

toha

bita

t qu

ality

, pr

eyab

unda

nce,

hum

an in

fluen

ces

and

othe

r fa

ctor

s pr

epar

ed.

A se

t of

suc

cess

ful

inte

rven

tions

to

prev

ent

lives

tock

dep

reda

tion,

and

miti

gate

hum

an w

ildlif

e co

nflic

ttri

ed a

nd te

sted

Rep

ort o

n th

e an

alys

is o

f the

exis

ting

com

pens

atio

nsc

hem

e pr

oduc

ed

A da

taba

se o

n liv

esto

ckin

form

atio

n an

d de

pred

atio

nca

ses

in th

e co

untry

dev

elop

ed

Vario

us o

ption

s fo

r pre

vent

ive a

ndco

nflic

t mitig

ation

mea

sure

sex

plore

d an

d pu

t in

plac

e

Peop

les’

atti

tude

tow

ards

, an

dac

cept

ance

of

hum

an w

ildlif

eco

nflic

t st

udie

d

1764

.71

1764

.71

1764

.71

4705

.88

1764

.71

4705

.88

5882

.35

Obj

ectiv

e: R

educ

e re

talia

tory

kill

ing

of t

iger

and

pre

y sp

ecie

s th

roug

h pr

even

tion

and

miti

gatio

n m

easu

res

as w

ell

as i

ncen

tives

��

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

Year

120

05-0

6Ye

ar 2

2006

-07

Year

320

07-0

8Ye

ar 4

2008

-9Ye

ar 5

2009

-10

Year

620

10-1

1Ye

ar 7

2011

-12

Year

820

12-1

3Ye

ar 9

2001

3-14

Year

10

2014

-15

Tota

lin

USD

Out

put

Act

iviti

esA

mou

nt i

n U

SD

Prin

ting

of e

duca

tion

mat

eria

ls o

nec

olog

ical

and

cul

tura

l sig

nific

ance

of

tiger

s in

Bhu

tan

Prod

uctio

n of

30

min

utes

vid

eopr

ogra

m a

s w

ell a

s ra

dio

prog

ram

on

the

stat

us o

f tig

ers

in B

huta

n, th

reat

sto

its

surv

ival

, an

d lo

ng-te

rmco

nser

vatio

n ne

eds

Con

sulta

tion

mee

ting

with

Edu

catio

nD

epar

tmen

t, pa

rticu

larly

Cur

ricul

umD

ivis

ion,

to

disc

uss

on t

he in

clus

ion

of ti

ger-s

peci

fic c

hapt

ers

in th

esc

ienc

e an

d en

viro

nmen

tal s

tudi

essu

bjec

ts in

low

er s

choo

l cur

ricul

a

Dis

cuss

ion

with

She

rubt

se C

olle

ge,

Nat

ural

Res

ourc

es T

rain

ing

Inst

itute

,U

gyen

Wan

gchu

ck I

nstit

ute

ofFo

rest

ry a

nd E

nviro

nmen

tal S

tudi

esan

d Bh

utan

For

estry

Inst

itute

toin

clud

e tig

er-s

peci

fic c

hapt

ers

in t

heir

less

on p

lans

Iden

tify

netw

ork

of in

stitu

tions

, nat

ure

club

s, s

choo

ls,

and

com

mun

itygr

oups

in th

e ur

ban

and

rura

l pub

lic,

bord

er e

ntry

poi

nts,

che

ck-p

osts

and

othe

r re

leva

nt p

lace

s fo

r di

strib

utio

nof

the

prin

ted

educ

atio

n m

ater

ials

4705

.88

4705

.88

4705

.88

1176

.47

2352

.94

4705

.88

3529

.41

4705

.88

3529

.41

4705

.88

4705

.88

4705

.88

3529

.41

4705

.88

3529

.41

4705

.88

1176

.47

2352

.94

4705

8.82

7058

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CSO 2001. Central Statistical Year Book 2001, Planning Commission, Royal Government ofBhutan, Thimphu Bhutan.

DoF 2003. Briefing on Department of Forest, Department of Forest, Royal Government ofBhutan. Thimphu, Bhutan

Dorji, P., & Santiapillai, C. 1989. Status, distribution and conservation of the tiger in Bhutan,Biological Conservation 48 (311-319).

Jackson, P. & Kemf, E. 1996. Wanted Alive! Tigers in the Wild: 1996 WWF Species StatusReport, WWF, Gland, Switzerland.

LUPS 1997. Atlas of Bhutan - Land Cover & Area Statistics of 20 Dzongkhags, Land UsePlanning Section, Plan and Policy Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Thimphu Bhutan.

McDougal, C. & Tshering, K. 1998. Tiger Conservation Strategy for the Kingdom of Bhutan,Nature Conservation Division, Forestry Services Division, Ministry of Agriculture & WWFBhutan Program, Thimphu Bhutan.

MoA, RGoB 1998. Biodiversity Action Plan for Bhutan, Ministry of Agriculture, RoyalGovernment of Bhutan, Thimphu Bhutan.

MoA 2002. Renewable Natural Resources Statistics 2000 Vol. 1, Ministry of Agriculture, RoyalGovernment of Bhutan, Thimphu Bhutan.

RGOB 2002. Ninth Plan Main Document (2002-2007), Planning Commission, RoyalGovernment of Bhutan, Thimphu Bhutan.

Sangay 2004. A paper presentation to the Tiger Conservation Fund Board Meeting on 21January 2004, Thimphu Bhutan.

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The Tiger Conservation Program will enhance the capability of the program staff that are locallytrained with a twelve-week course on advanced and intensive research and sampling methods.The course is expected to include: 1) development of research proposals, 2) various surveytechniques such as camera trapping, pellet group sampling, line transects, etc. 3) datacollection, 4) identification of animal signs, 5) tracking animals using radio telemetryequipments, 6) use of GPS, 7) statistical analysis (spatial analysis using GIS), 8) conservationbiology (wildlife health and medicine) and, 9) tranquilizing animals. The staffs will be sent toreputed institutions in the region.

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The program plans for long-term research where studies can be integrated with higher degrees.Dedicated and motivated staff from the Nature Conservation Division and Protected Areascould pursue independent studies for postgraduate degrees (Diploma, MSc and PhD).

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The program will identify two staff to undergo a two-week training on scat analysis handling andmanagement at the Wildlife Institute of India. They will carry out scat analysis to determine tigerdiet composition.

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The program will request for three staff to attend a three-week on-the-job training at the Centreof Wildlife Studies, India, on capture and recapture sampling. They will pioneer any cameratrapping exercises and to perform capture and recapture samplings in Bhutan.

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The program will be updating land-use maps and needs to carry out image classification. Atpresent, the GIS unit of NCD does not have the capability to carry out image classificationusing GIS and RS. Therefore, two GIS personnel will be trained in image classification usingGIS and RS at either ESRI or ITC.

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The program will send staff closely involved with the program on a study tour to Nepal andIndia to expose them to tiger conservation challenges and efforts outside their immediateexperience.

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A week-long in-country training and refresher course will be conducted for forestry and parkstaff on survey methodologies and monitoring techniques that are necessary to carry outwildlife surveys. It will focus on tigers and conservation efforts. It will be attended by 40 stafffrom various territorial forest divisions and parks and every alternate year.

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A one-day in-country workshop will be held to report on survey and research finding as well ason the compensation results. This workshop will be organized once every three years.

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As Bhutan has recently ratified and joined CITES (2002), this allows for the CITESmanagement authority and scientific authority personnel to attend CITES meetings. It isimportant for the Bhutanese government officials to keep abreast of what is happening inrelation to tiger conservation in the region and internationally.

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The Global Tiger Forum Secretariat has requested Bhutan to host its General Assembly andExecutive Committee meeting, which we would like to do during 2010, the Year of the Tiger, toshowcase our commitment to tiger conservation. The meeting will be attended by all membersof the Global Tiger Forum, as well as by organizations that have a stake in tiger conservation.

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The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has conducted a three-week course on the management ofwild tigers. The program would like to request the Institute to organize a similar training coursefor Bhutanese staff in Bhutan to be attended by select staff that have proven their dedication totiger conservation.

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The Smithsonian Institution has conducted training on wildlife management and conservationbiology in various countries. The program will request it to conduct a similar training in Bhutan.The core-research team and the contact persons of the program will attend. About 50 stafffrom the forestry divisions and parks are expected to attend the three-week session.

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For further information:

Nature Conservation DivisionDepartment of ForestsMinistry of AgricultureTashichhodzongThimphu, BHUTAN

Phone : +975 2 325042Fax : +975 2 325475email : t_sangay@moa.gov.bt

WWF Bhutan ProgramP.O. Box 210ChubachuThimphu, BHUTAN

Phone : +975 2 323316/323528Fax : +975 2 323518email : vmoktan@wwfbhutan.org.bt