The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Bhutan has made significant strides in habitat conservation, anti-poaching efforts, and human-wildlife conflict mitigation as highlighted in WWF’s Tigers Alive Report. However, challenges remain as the nation works to sustain its tiger population while balancing conservation with the needs of local communities.
As per the report, Bhutan is among the few tiger range countries where the population of the big cats is relatively stable. A significant milestone was the recent accreditation of two sites, Jigme Dorji National Park and Zhemgang Forest Division, under the Conservation Assured Tiger Standards (CA|TS) framework. This accreditation underscores Bhutan’s commitment to ensuring effective habitat management beyond protected areas, allowing tigers to move freely and maintain genetic diversity.
CA|TS is an accreditation scheme that encourages tiger conservation areas to meet a set of standards and criteria, created by an international group of experts and protected area managers that assures effective and long-term tiger conservation
Additionally, Bhutan has implemented the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) patrols, an advanced technology-driven monitoring system that has significantly enhanced surveillance against poaching. A recent study highlighted that this initiative has improved ranger activities, reduced threats, and likely contributed to a rise in tiger numbers in key habitats.
SMART is an innovative management tool designed to assist protected area and wildlife managers to better monitor, evaluate, and adaptively manage patrolling activities.
Challenges in human-tiger coexistence
Despite these successes, human-tiger conflict remains a pressing issue. In regions, like Drakteng gewog in Trongsa, tigers prey on livestock, causing economic losses for farmers. To mitigate this, Bhutan has introduced a Conflict to Coexistence (C2C) strategy, which includes a community-based livestock compensation fund. This initiative helps offset financial losses and encourages communities to support tiger conservation rather than retaliate against the animals.
Cultural reverence for tigers also plays a role in conservation. In remote villages, like Retey in Sarpang, tigers are considered sacred, with local traditions and folklore reinforcing their protection. WWF Bhutan has launched awareness campaigns to foster community-driven conservation efforts by leveraging these cultural values.
A villager from Central Bhutan, Yeshi Paldon, shares in WWF Bhutan’s video “Sacred Tigers: The Spiritual Link to Ecological Integrity” that her ancestors taught her an important belief: where there are tigers, there are no deer, and wild boars there.
Similarly, in Southern Bhutan, sacred sites hold spiritual significance. Sarabjit Tamang from Sarpang explains in the same video that a revered master tied a sacred site to the presence of a deity, a goddess who rides on a tiger. The local belief is that disturbing the surroundings would bring misfortune, reinforcing a cultural norm that respects tiger habitats. This, in turn, has contributed to fewer tiger disruptions in those areas.
Funding
One of the most critical challenges in tiger conservation is securing sustainable financing. To address this, Bhutan co-hosted the Sustainable Financing for Tiger Landscapes Conference in Paro, aiming to mobilize USD 1 billion over the next decade. Bhutan’s Bhutan for Life model, which pools international funds to support conservation, was presented as a blueprint for other tiger range countries.
As per the report, sustainable financing ensures that conservation efforts remain resilient by integrating long-term investments from both the public and private sectors. By fostering partnerships among governments, NGOs, and local communities, Bhutan seeks to maintain climate-resilient tiger habitats while promoting economic and environmental sustainability.
After the conference, the Paro Statement was announced, committing to raise an additional USD 1 billion for tiger conservation by 2034. Bhutan, along with WWF and the Tiger Conservation Coalition, is working on strategic financial mechanisms, such as the Tiger Landscape Investment Fund and Tiger Credits to secure long-term funding.
Looking ahead: The future of tiger conservation
The report states that in the coming years, WWF will continue expanding efforts in key tiger landscapes, strengthening partnerships, and scaling up conservation strategies that have already shown positive results. A crucial aspect of this mission is fostering local stewardship by working with Indigenous Peoples and communities to tailor conservation approaches to their specific needs, challenges, and aspirations. Innovation will remain at the heart of these efforts, ensuring continuous learning and adaptation for greater impact.
According to the report the Tiger Conservation Coalition is proving to be a game-changer, amplifying conservation efforts beyond what any single organization could achieve alone. In collaboration with the Royal Government of Bhutan, the coalition has set a goal of mobilizing an additional USD 1 billion in sustainable financing, ensuring the long-term protection of Asia’s most vital ecosystems. By developing innovative financial tools and expanding partnerships, the momentum for tiger conservation continues to grow.
Globally, groundbreaking projects are yielding encouraging results, like in the case of Kazakhstan reintroducing tigers after a 70-year absence, while restoration initiatives in China and Thailand offer hope for reviving tiger populations in their former habitats. These efforts demonstrate that with vision, investment, and collaboration, species recovery is possible, and tigers can once again reclaim their lost ranges.
However, as tiger populations rebound in some areas, new challenges arise. Human-tiger conflicts are evolving in rapidly changing landscapes, making it increasingly urgent to develop coexistence strategies that minimize risks for both people and wildlife. Addressing these conflicts while securing safe habitats remains a top priority.
Additionally, the illegal wildlife trade and poaching continue to threaten tiger survival. Demand for tiger parts and products fuels relentless exploitation while overhunting of prey species further endangers tigers by depleting their natural food sources. Combating these threats through sustained anti-poaching efforts and stricter enforcement of wildlife protection laws is crucial to ensuring the long-term success of conservation efforts.
