Dhaka, Jan. 24 :The first General Assembly of Global Tiger Forum (GTF) has adopted a ten-point Dhaka Declaration on tiger conservation to protect the 7,436 existing members of the endangered species in 14 countries.

GFT officials said in Dhaka, the secretariat of the Tiger Forum in New Delhi would promote inter-state protocols to save the big cats from extinction.

The forum has earmarked endangered tigers living in different jungles including the Sundarbans, Royal Chitwan,  Valmiki, Parsa and Bardia, Sohelwa, the May-U Range and Chin Hills and Royal Manas and Phipsoo for protection under the inter-state protocols.

The GTF will prepare a new database on the tiger population and country and specific tiger action plans by January in the year 2001.

“All countries would be asked to eradicate trade in tiger parts and derivatives in accordance with cites (convention on international trade on endangered species) and if necessary, dispose the existing stockpile (of tiger products) by January in the year 2001,” secretary general of GTF S. C. Dey said.

He said, apart from approaching international donors for conservation programmes in tiger range states and to strengthen operations of GTF, the Forum will also facilitate training of wildlife managers and researchers to share lessons on tiger conservation and enrich experience of enforcement officers.

The declaration, according to dey, expressed desire to create GTF website by January of 2001, if funds are available.

The member-states of the forum will assist the secretariat in encouraging all tiger range states and developed nations to join the forum, he added.

“Loss and degradation of habitat, reduction of the prey base of the tigers, poaching and international illegal trade and enhanced human development needs are the four key issues that would affect the future of the endangered big cats,” the GTF leaders observed.

Representatives of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Vietnam, Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, United Kingdom and observers from Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (cites) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) international endorsed the declaration.

The GTF leaders left Dhaka for Khulna to visit Bangladesh part of the Sundarbans that dot the coastline of the bay of Bengal and accommodates 362 Royal Bengal Tigers.