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Bali tiger meeting, the chance to be a conservation leader
The on going high level officials meeting on tigers in Bali is an occasion for Indonesia to help forge an unprecedented agreement for cooperation in the conservation of this vitally important species during a meeting of representatives from the 13 countries that still have tigers
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he on going high level officials meeting on tigers in Bali is an occasion for Indonesia to help forge an unprecedented agreement for cooperation in the conservation of this vitally important species during a meeting of representatives from the 13 countries that still have tigers.
We believe that Indonesia can help drive, in Bali, the creation of this ambitious plan to save this global icon and revered national symbol.
Additionally, this is an opportunity for Indonesia to build on last month’s commitment to preserve biodiversity when government leaders announced a major agreement with Norway to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) in Indonesia’s forests and peat lands.
Tigers are in trouble. With a worldwide population of as few as 3,200 tigers in the wild, they are on the brink of extinction.
Indonesia’s subspecies, the Sumatran tiger, numbers around 400, representing a significant 12 percent of the worldwide population.
The road to saving this global symbol of strength and pride runs through Bali and to the heads of the Government Tiger Summit in Russia in September where world leaders will decide the tiger’s fate.
Already, the Forestry Ministry has pledged to implement a moratorium to stop giving new concessions to non-forestry activities in natural forests, peat swamp forests — all crucial habitat for tigers.
In making these decisions, it is critical that leaders remember that when we save the tiger, we save so much more.
A strong tiger population is a good indicator of a healthy forest because tigers need vast amounts of habitat and good prey populations to survive so if tigers are doing well then it is thanks, in part, to a healthy forest.
Healthy, thriving forests in Indonesia also provide clean water, food and medicine and as one of nature’s most efficient carbon sinks, they also help trap the gases that cause global warming, providing clean air for our fellow citizens worldwide.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has shown invaluable leadership by helping to secure last month’s US$1 billion from Norway to ensure that Indonesia’s forests thrive. This is a stepping-stone for Indonesia to now help save tigers globally and become a leader in efforts to preserve biodiversity.
In Sumatra, the only home for Sumatran tigers, the president’s commitment has been bolstered by further political commitments to implement ecosystem-based spatial planning, restore critical habitat areas and protect high conservation value areas. These come from all governors of Sumatra and were further endorsed by the Forestry, Environment, Public Works and Home ministries.
Deforestation is a constant threat not only to Indonesia’s tigers, but all species that make the country such a unique and special place.
Despite some positive developments, legal and illegal forest clearance is still an everyday threat, and pressures on places such as Sumatra from unsustainable development are increasing.
Pursued vigorously as a business opportunity, a new “carbon” commodity could lead to coexistence, where both tigers and human communities thrive, providing benefits on local, national and global scales.
While habitat destruction has taken a heavy toll on tigers, we are now confronted with another threat — the rampant poaching of tigers to meet demands for tiger parts for use in some traditional medicines, health tonics, decoration or even for fashion.
The lucrative black market trade has thrived, even occurring in some big cities in many different countries — including in Europe and the US.
The situation is so critical; therefore the commitment to fighting the tiger trade will not be enough
by 13-tiger range countries only, global efforts are the key to protect the species.
At this tiger meeting in Bali, we — the tiger range countries and its partners — have a chance to rise to the occasion and piece together a meaningful global response in the race to save the tiger from
extinction.
Indonesia, for its part, is pledging to strengthen tiger law enforcement and conflict mitigation units, and to create a legal basis to protect tiger habitats outside of protected areas.
Indonesia will also strengthen a long-term biological monitoring data on tigers and their prey as a scientific-based evaluation tool for conservation actions, and explore and mobilize domestic and
international funds to ensure the long-term protection of tiger populations.
We are calling various stakeholders and partners to support the Indonesian government in implementing these pledges every step of the way.
We urge all tiger range and supporting countries to join us with a similar pledge and produce a viable agreement that will spur all of us into immediate action to protect tigers.
The writer is the Indonesian Forestry Minister.
