Wildlife lovers, national leaders and foreign diplomats came together to celebrate Global Tiger Day 2021 at NTNC. The Rt. Hon'ble Prime Minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur Deuba was chief guest of the programme aimed at revisiting the important role of tigers in shaping biodiversity and wild spaces as apex predators and recommitting leadership for tiger conservation and protection across generations. The Rt. Hon'ble Prime Minister is also the patron of NTNC, and chair of the National Tiger Conservation Committee, the main organizer of the event.
Accompanying the celebrations other leaders included the former Prime Minister of Nepal Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal, the Hon'ble Home Minister Mr. Bal Krishna Khand, the Hon'ble Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Mr. Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, and the former Minister for Forests and Soil Conservation (presently Ministry of Forests and Environment) Mr. Deepak Bohara. The former prime minister and MOFE minister shared learnings and insights about tiger conservation initiatives in Nepal during their tenure, recalling Nepal's tiger journey to St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2010, where all 13 tiger-range countries of the world had made a historic commitment to double tiger population (TX2) by 2022.
Foreign dignitaries in attendance included the Ambassador of India to Nepal, His Excellency Vinaya Mohan Kwarta, and Acting Ambassador and Chargé d'Affaires of the Russian Federation to Nepal, His Excellency Victor V. Evseev. Both ambassadors shared experiences and efforts being taken in tiger conservation in their respective countries and the many advances made through the power of collective collaboration, commitment, and strong leadership.
Rt. Hon'ble Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on stage with the Home Minister and Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (pic left) and the former Prime Minister and former Minister for Forests and Environment (pic right)
NTNC Member Secretary Mr. Sharad Chandra Adhikary making the welcome address speech
MOFE Secretary Dr. Pem Narayan Kandel making a presentation on the topic titled "Towards Doubling the Tiger in Nepal"
Tiger drama and poem performance by Friends of Zoo members from Ambition Academy school
Tiger drama and poem performance by Friends of Zoo members from Ambition Academy school
Tiger drama and poem performance by Friends of Zoo members from Ambition Academy school
Deliberations by the Acting Ambassador and Chargé d'Affaires of the Russian Federation to Nepal H.E. Victor V. Evseev
Deliberations by the Ambassador of India to Nepal, H.E. Vinaya Mohan Kwarta
Among nature lovers, participants at the event also included high level officials from the government, Nepal army and police, the media, and heads of partner organizations from WWF Nepal and ZSL Nepal
Former Minister for Forests and Environment Mr. Deepak Bohara recounting about Nepal's tiger conservation initiative leading up to the St. Petersburg TX2 summit in 2010
Former Prime Minister of Nepal and special guest of the event Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal recalling and sharing his experience leading to Nepal's St. Peterburg tiger journey
Token of appreciation handed over to the Rt. Hon'ble Prime Minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur Deuba by the Chairperson of the National Trust for Nature Conservation, Dr. Krishna Prasad Oli
Director General of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation making the closing address
Photo exhibition section displaying collection of wildlife photographer Mr. Chungba Sherpa
Publication and books distribution section at the event
Conservation partners, from government and outside, who have a leading role in Nepal's tiger conservation success
Other highlights at the event included a presentation by the MOFE Secretary Dr. Pem Narayan Kandel, laying out the science and scenario in Nepal's tiger conservation on-the-ground over the past decade, reflecting on gains made in tiger population, habitat extension, connectivity, community mobilization, threat reduction, and tiger research, along with persistent challenges from human-tiger conflict, unplanned linear infrastructure, poaching and diseases-related threats. A tiger drama and poetry performance by young students from NTNC's Friends of Zoo network urging for stronger leadership and ambition for nature was a standout among the audience. Other speakers at the event were the Director General of the Department for National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Dr. Deepak Kumar Kharal, and the NTNC Member Secretary Mr. Sharad Chandra Adhikary.
Nepal is already on the road to double its tiger numbers. With 235 tigers according to the national tiger census in 2018, from 121 in 2009-10, Nepal's target is to reach 250 tigers by the year 2022. Another tiger census is due to be conducted later this year to officially mark this feat. However the positive tiger recovery trajectory is by no means suggestive of being at ease.
Expressing his pleasure over the success of tiger conservation efforts in Nepal as a demonstration of local-to-global collaboration and partnership, the Rt. Hon'be Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba said that he was also aware of some of the more immediate challenges at home, where solutions for addressing the conditions causing increased human-tiger conflicts in recent years, ensuring tiger habitats are intact and undisturbed, together with the need for putting in place wildlife-friendly infrastructure was much necessary.
The celebrations concluded with a token of appreciation handed over to the Rt. Hon'ble Prime Minister by the NTNC Chairperson Dr. Krishna Prasad Oli.
