Tiger conservation: Exploring potential collaboration between Myanmar and India

Participation in this event is by invitation only.

Background

Bilateral collaboration between India and Myanmar has received a strong boost with the recent signing of an MoU for cooperation on “Combating timber trafficking and conservation of tigers and other wildlife” in February 2020.

HI-LIFE – a transboundary conservation and development initiative implemented by ICIMOD and its partners in China, India, and Myanmar – is looking to strengthen bilateral conservation efforts between India and Myanmar, by promoting the exchange of knowledge and best practices from across the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region.

The COVID-19 pandemic with its linkages to environmental degradation and human–wildlife inter-relationships further underlines the importance of regional and international collaboration for biodiversity conservation and management. Inter-country and regional transboundary collaboration is imperative for the conservation of megafauna that have naturally extensive ranges and need contiguous habitats.

Objectives

This virtual meeting will focus on tiger conservation and monitoring. India is globally recognized for its tiger conservation efforts, and Myanmar is also prioritizing the conservation of this flagship species. Close cross-border collaboration between India and Myanmar through enhanced communication and information sharing, consultation, coordinated action, and joint implementation of wildlife management plans can further advance the mission of tiger conservation in the far-eastern Himalayan region.

The meeting aims to:

• Share regional knowledge and best practices from the region, including efforts in India and Myanmar
• Explore possible means and mechanisms for cooperation between India and Myanmar to strengthen actions within the broader framework of the MoU
• Identify ICIMOD’s role in further strengthening bilateral collaborations for tiger conservation.

Concept note and agenda