About Us

In the decision of the International symposium on tiger held at New Delhi during Feb '93 wherein a Delhi declaration on tiger conservation was adopted by the participant of the conference, there was a recommendation that a Global Tiger Forum be set up to embark on a world wide campaign to save the wild tiger. This was followed up in the meeting of the Forestry forum for developing countries held atNew Delhi in Sept '93 where a small sub group meeting was taken by the Minister in charge of Environment and Forests, Government of India with the Ministers of various tiger range states present. This sub group also re-iterated the need for formation of Global Tiger Forum. As a follow up of the decision, the first meeting of the tiger range countries was held in March 1994 at New Delhi attended by 11 tiger range states and others. In the said meeting a resolution was passed to form the Global Tiger Forum with its secretariat at New Delhi and the Union Minister for Environment & Forest, Govt. of India as the first Chairman of this forum. The current Chairperson of the forum is the Minister of Forest and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal, who took over the responsibilities of GTF after the 3^rd General Assembly held at Hanoi, Vietnam, in November 2004. The membership of GTF is open to five categories.

Category A- All tiger range countries

Category B- Non tiger range countries interested in tiger conservation.

Category C- International non-govermental organisations.

Category D- Honorary individual members.

Category E – National NGOs

The Global Tiger Forum has a General Assembly which devises procedures to ensure that its works are carried on in the best possible way.

The Global Tiger Forum also has an Executive Committee comprising of 4 members from Category A, 2 members from Category-B and one member from Category –C. The members are elected once in three years in the General Assembly, by the members of each category separately. It has got a secretariat located at A-294, 2^nd Floor, Okhla Industrial Area Phase I, New Delhi – 110020 to run the day to day works of the Forum within its objective and direction, which is headed by the Secretary General. The composition, goal and functions of the General Assembly are as follows:

COMPOSITION:-

The General Assembly, the highest policy organ of the Global Tiger Forum, shall consist of the duly accredited delegates of the members of Global Tiger Forum meeting in session

GOAL:-

To highlight the rationale for tiger preservation and provide leadership and common approach throughout the world in order to safeguard the survival of the tiger, its prey and its habitat.

The Functions of the General Assembly are:

i. to elect the Chairperson of the Global Tiger Forum:

ii. to determine the general policy of the Global Tiger Forum;

iii. to determine the organisation of its work and procedures including that of the Secretariat;

iv. to make recommendations to Governments and national and international organisations on any matter related to the objectives of the Global Tiger Forum;

v. to determine the annual dues of members;

vi. to approve the work programme and estimates of income and expenditure for the next three years and verify and approve the auditors report on the accounts of Global Tiger Forum for previous three years;

vii. to perform such other functions as may be conferred on it by these statutes.

The General Assembly shall meet once in three years.
An extraordinary session of the General Assembly shall be convened if requested by at least one-third of the members of Category-A

3. The Forum shall, after considering suggestions of members, determine the time and Location of each ordinary and extraordinary session of the General Assembly. Locations shall, as far as practicable, be rotated among the several geographical regions. The decisions of the Forum as to time and location shall be communicated to the members of Global Tiger Forum by the Secretary General, with a tentative agenda, at least two months in advance of each session.

4. The chairperson of the Global Tiger Forum, shall take the chair at sessions of the General Assembly.

5. The General Assembly shall adopt its own rules of procedures.

Trainee from Bangladesh receiving wildlife diploma at WII. Trainee from Nepal receiving wildlife diploma at WII. Trainee from Vietnam receiving remote sensing certificate at IIRS Dehradun.

The main activities undertaken by the Global Tiger Forum so far are the following.

a)     Capacity building including training of field and enforcement staff of the tiger range countries in wildlife management and habitat assessment.

b)     Exchange of information through Newsletters which are published sixth monthly.

c)      Campaigns related to tiger conservation including addressing market forces through participation in related international meetings, conventions and symposiums.

d)     Organizing and supporting International seminars/workshops on tiger conservation and enforcement.

e)     Promoting the preparation of costed tiger action plans in the tiger range countries.

f)      Promotion and development of trans-boundary protocols between tiger range countries.

g)     Helping tiger range countries in implementing and making suggestive changes in CITES & IUCN resolutions on conservation of tiger.

h)     Supporting on the ground tiger conservation programmes in tiger range countries.

i)     Supporting Flora and Fauna International for undertaking large mammal survey in Cambodia.

j)      Supporting development of forensic technique for tiger bone identification in Wildlife Institute of India.

k)     Organizing training-cum-visit programmes for field officers from member tiger range countries in the tiger reserves of India.

l)     Working with World Bank in development of a tiger conservation strategy leading to a tiger summit.

m)        Identification of problems of the tiger range states and broad approach to overcome them.

n)     Developing formats for monitoring and evaluation of projects

MEMBERS OF GLOBAL TIGER FORUM

So far, seven tiger range countries viz. Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal and Vietnam have become members of GTF by ratifying its statutes and regulations. In addition, United Kingdom has formally joined the Forum and the Government of Canada is considering the issue of joining the Forum. Of the international NGOs, WWF-International, International Fund for Animal Welfare and TRAFFIC-International have joined the Forum as members.

The National NGO members include:-

(A) From India

(1) Ranthambhore Foundation

(2) Wildlife Protection Society of India

(3) Tiger Research and Conservation Trust

(4) Wildlife Trust of India

(B) From Nepal:

(1) National Trust for Nature Conservation

(2) Wildlife Conservation Nepal