A tiger is seen at the Yangon Zoological Gardens in Yangon, Myanmar, July 30, 2019. At least 22 tigers remained in Myanmar, said the Forest Department Tuesday quoting its recent survey that covered 8 percent of the tiger habitat in the country. The figure came as the department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MNREC) observed the World Tiger Day in Nay Pyi Taw Monday. (Xinhua/U Aung)
YANGON, July 30 (Xinhua) -- At least 22 tigers remained in Myanmar, said the Forest Department Tuesday quoting its recent survey.
The survey covered 8 percent of the tiger habitat in the country.
The figure came as the department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MNREC) observed the World Tiger Day in Nay Pyi Taw Monday.
Speaking at the event, Minister of the MNREC U Ohn Win said that Myanmar is one of the 13 countries in the world which have a tiger population and about 7 percent of Myanmar's total area or over 12 million acres (4.86 million hectares) serves as a habitat for tigers, indicating that tigers can breed in Myanmar forests.
The World Tiger Day was marked to spread awareness about the decline in the number of wild tigers in the world and to encourage the work of tiger conservation.
In accordance with the Conservation of Biodiversity and Protected Areas Law promulgated in May 2018, tiger, along with elephant, leopard and golden deer, is included in the list of totally protected species.
Meanwhile, as part of its efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade, Myanmar burnt confiscated wildlife parts in the capital of Nay Pyi Taw in October last year.
