On the third anniversary of the historic Global Tiger Summit the
Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation has awarded a 3 million grant to World
Wildlife Fund (WWF) for a bold initiative to help Nepal double its wild
tiger numbers by 2022 - the next Chinese Year of the Tiger.
The grant will bolster WWF's work with the government of Nepal and
local communities in Nepal's Terai Arc landscape to strengthen
anti-poaching patrols, protect core areas for tiger breeding, restore
critical corridors for their dispersal and expansion, and continuously
monitor tiger populations. Previous support from the Leonardo DiCaprio
Foundation is already showing major results, growing the number of
tigers in the Terai's Bardia National Park from an estimated 18 to 50
tigers.
The grant represents the first funds awarded from the successful
Christie's 11th Hour Charity Auction in May, created by DiCaprio, which
raised a record 38.8 million for conservation in a single night.
DiCaprio has long been a passionate advocate for the environment and
joined forces with WWF beginning in 2010 to launch Save Tigers Now, a
global campaign to raise political, financial and public support to save
tigers in the wild.
"Time is running out for the world's remaining 3,200 tigers, largely
the result of habitat destruction and escalating illegal poaching," said
Leonardo DiCaprio, a WWF Board member. "WWF, the government of Nepal
and local communities are on the front lines of this battle and I am
hopeful this grant will help them exceed the goal of doubling the number
of these noble creatures in the wild."
"Leonardo DiCaprio defies expectations in leveraging his voice and
influence to restore tigers and their habitat in one of the most hopeful
places on Earth," said Carter Roberts, President and CEO of World
Wildlife Fund (WWF). "His foundation is all about delivering real
results for conservation on the ground and empowering local communities;
nowhere is that more evident than in Nepal. The numbers speak for
themselves and we are grateful for our partnership."
Nepal is on target to become one of the first tiger range countries to
achieve the 2010 Global Tiger Summit's goal of doubling wild tigers by
the next Year of the Tiger in 2022. The Terai Arc Landscape of Nepal,
where the grant will be used, is 9,000 square miles and includes
protected areas that are critical tiger, rhino and elephant habitat. The
densely populated region is also home to nearly seven million people
who depend on its natural resources for their livelihoods.
Tigers, elephants and rhinos in the Terai are losing habitat and
falling victim to the illegal wildlife trade. The grant will allow park
rangers to use sophisticated monitoring tools in conjunction with
community policing and intelligence-gathering to tackle poaching. Basic
park infrastructure, such as guard posts, will also be expanded and
corridors between parks will be strengthened to give key species the
freedom to roam and help grow new tiger populations across the Terai.
"Protecting a top predator like the tiger helps keep forests and
grasslands intact, and ensures that other species like rhinos and
elephants can thrive." said Justin Winters, the Executive Director of
the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. "The most impressive part of this
project - and the key to its success so far - is the true collaboration
between WWF, the Nepal government and the local communities. Finding
solutions that protect tigers and benefit local people is the only way
to ensure long term success."
WWF and its partners will also use the grant to help local communities
benefit from conservation by creating income-generating activities
through tourism, handicrafts and organic vegetable production. The grant
will also support insurance funds to help families cope with the loss
of livestock to predators.
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