KATHMANDU: Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Deepak Bohara today left for Bangkok, Thailand, to attend the first meeting of ministers of Tiger Range Countries slated from January 27 to 30 in Hua Hin, Thailand. The rest of the team members will be heading tomorrow.

Over 12 participants, including tiger experts, government officials and the wildlife related INGO’s representatives are representing Nepal.

Nepal has got the commitment for the establishment of the tiger anti-poaching centre in Kathmandu will be officially confirmed in Bangkok according to minister for forest and soil conservation. “Our efforts will be towards doubling the number of tigers by 2020 and the meeting will focus on the same issue,” said Bohara talking to The Himalayan Times.

The 13 Tiger Range Countries (TRCs) are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam where the wild tigers exist.

The meeting, which is expected to focus on the recommendation of the Kathmandu Global Tiger Workshop held on October 27-30, will clarify the issues to be discussed on the tiger range countries head of states meeting scheduled in December in Russia.

“The meeting will discuss about tiger conservation issues in the 13 tiger range countries and will be primarily based on the points that have been extracted in the Kathmandu workshop,” said Shivaraj Bhatta, spokesperson, Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC).

Nepal has committed for the establishment of the anti-tiger poaching centre in Kathmandu. Bhatta said, the commitment will be affirmed in Bangkok.

“Our efforts will be towards doubling the number of tigers by 2020 and the meeting will focus on

the same issue,” said Bohara talking to The Himalayan Times.

The 13 Tiger Range Countries (TRCs) are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam where the wild tigers exist.

A widespread population of over 100,000 tigers has dropped to less than 4,000 and three of nine tiger subspecies are already extinct according the global estimates.