Thailand Tiger Action Plan - Global Tiger Initiative

ForwardsThis year is the year of tigers. We all recognize that tigers face a very realthreat of extinction as a result of a variety of factors ranging from habitatloss and prey depletion to poaching. This is a challenge not only for tigersbut also for biodiversity conservation and for human welfare – a challengecoming from our misperception in the past that nature’s bounty is unlimitedand thus can be freely exploited. Now we know that nature is not limitless,and both tigers and humans suffer if free and unlimited exploitation isallowed to continue.In January 2010, Thailand hosted the 1st Asia Ministerial Conference tostrengthen political will to conserve tigers and help political leaders fromtiger range countries to define bold programs to avert the threat of thetiger’s extinction. The Thai government gives its full support to therecovering of this threatened species through the development of smartinfrastructure and land use, empowerment of communities in and aroundtiger landscapes, improvement of wildlife law enforcement andgovernance, building professional capacity, and seeking innovativefinancing for tiger conservation. We have incorporated all thesecommitments into our new National Tiger Action Plan, and the challengefor us is to implement this plan to accomplish our goal. We are confidentthat the commitment we have taken into the National Tiger Action Plan willcontribute to regional and global efforts to conserve the tiger.The task before us now is of vital importance. In particular, inaccomplishing this task, all of us will no longer be remembered as part of ageneration that has destroyed tigers but as champions and protectors, andas originators of initiatives for conservation of tigers as well as our entireglobal natural capital that is part of our planet’s life-supporting system.We look forward to working with our neighbors and the internationalcommunity to achieve this goal. The wild tiger is already in crisis – thismay be our last chance to save it.Abhisit VejjajivaPrime MinisterRoyal Thai Government