Kathmandu, July 29

President Bidya Devi Bhandari has appreciated the significant contributions of the national park and forest administration, security mechanisms including the Nepal Army, local community and the concerned organizations in the conservation of tigers as well as in the prevention of tiger poaching and smuggling.

In a message of best wishes delivered on the occasion of the World Tiger Day today, the President expressed her confidence that the day would further encourage all the concerned stakeholders in the conservation of tiger. The World Tiger Summit held at Saint Petersburg in Russia in 2010 declared to observe the International Tiger Day on 29 July every year.

Nepal is also observing the day today. The President further said notable achievements have been made in the efforts for tiger conservation due to the well management of grassy ground and water sources, regular patrolling, reduction in human-wildlife conflict, awareness raising campaigns and monitoring. “I am happy to noted that the Government of Nepal has been active in the efforts for tiger conservation from community to national and international networks and forums”, the President added. “It is our collective responsibility to protect tiger as an indicator of a health ecosystem by conserving bio-diversity and reducing negative impacts of the climate change”, reads the message of best wishes.

President Bhandari said serious attention should be paid to develop physical infrastructure so as to ensure easy and smooth mobility of wildlife including tigers and adopt measures to lessen possible negative impacts on wildlife. She also stressed the need to promote tourism activities so as to further increase revenue generation from the domestic and foreign tourists who come to observe tigers.

The President also thanked all for their participation in the mega campaign of tiger conservation and wished for all to move ahead together to achieve the shared objective of tiger conservation