LAOS
LAO
ROARING TO SAVE WILD TIGER!
PATROLLING IN XE PIAN NPA
There are possibly as few as thirty wild tigers left in Laos, they are confined to evergreen forests of the Northern Annamites in Northern Laos and the Dry Forests/Central Annamites landscape in Southern Laos, which span into neighbouring Vietnam. One of the largest tiger areas is the 6,000km2 Nam Et - Phou Louey National Protected Area (NPA) in Northern Laos. A minimum of seven, with possibility of as many as twenty-three tigers, live in the reserve according to a Government of Laos/WCS 2006 survey. Other potential areas for tiger presence include Xe Pian NPA (2,000km2). This forest found in Southern Laos provides an ideal setting for diverse wildlife, including globally endangered species of birds and mammals. Also in the south, another area which could potentially harbour tigers is Dong Ampham NPA (1,700km2). Very little data is available relating to the current populations of wild tiger in Laos, yet rather than concentrating efforts and limited funding to confirm the presence of this majestic species, WWF Laos has taken a different approach through the identification of priority areas in Laos that indicate potential tiger populations and utilised funding to increase biodiversity within these key areas.
Tiger Landscape Class I Class II Class III Potential Landscape
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN RURAL SCHOOL WITHIN XE PIAN NPA
Forest Categories NPA Protection Forest Production Forest Provincial Boundary
WWF in partnership with the Lao Government has a long term commitment to several protected areas including Xe Pian NPA through a new project supporting the improvement of management effectiveness to reduce poaching and recover wildlife populations. Recent interview surveys indicate areas that are thought to support tiger in and around Xe Pian NPA and Dong Ampham NPA, including the connecting forest corridors between the two protected areas. In addition, a large mammal survey will collate baseline data of species populations found within the NPAs that could help with the identification of populations of prey species where protection efforts need to be focused. WWF is also working within Nam Pouy NPA in Northern Laos. This project is directly related to the conservation of another key species, the Asian Elephant, yet the protected area covering 1912km2 consists of a large complex evergreen forest and bamboo has potential for tiger presence. Ongoing efforts to improve forest conservation, protection and other land use management practices are equally beneficial to elephants and tigers.
Š CK WONG / WWF GREATER MEKONG
National Plan for tiger conservation Vision A Lao PDR with large functioning forest ecosystems where tigers thrive forever, which provides sustainable social, economic and environmental benefits to the people of Lao PDR. In line with a range of government policies, the Tiger Action Plan seeks to address the following urgent issues from 2010-2020:
Protect threatened species and habitat (e.g. wild tigers and their prey) Strengthen the development and management of national protected areas Maintain healthy and productive forests through conservation, protection and sustainable use Improve local livelihoods through sustainable use of biological resources Improve and develop laws and regulations, securing their effective enforcement Enhance education and public awareness on the significance of biodiversity and the importance of its conservation Goal To increase size of breeding population of tigers at source site, Nam Et-Phou Louey, ensure connectivity between all tiger landscapes, and obtain baseline data on tiger populations for all Tiger Conservation Landscapes in Lao PDR, by 2020
Copyright Š 2010 WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature (Formerly World Wildlife Fund), Gland, Switzerland. All rights reserved.