The Status of Tiger, Prey and Human Tiger Conflict in Lao PDR

Tiger Conservation Project
Once widely distributed across Asia, current tiger populations have been facing severe declines due to habitat loss, land conversion, and especially poaching. Breeding populations are now found in only scattered regions across Southeast Asia. The 4,030 km2 Nam Et - Phou Louey (NEPL) National Protected Area (NPA) is one of the only remaining areas in Lao PDR that is large enough to be a breeding sanctuary for tigers. In 2001, WCS was asked by NEPL NPA to assist in collecting data on tigers and tiger prey and to investigate human-tiger conflicts.

The Human Aspect
98 villages are found in and around the Nam Et – Phou Louey NPA.  Regional dietary needs come primarily from local meat and produce.  Livestock, which also provides a vital source of income, are regularly left unattended to graze in remote mountain pastures. Due to decreased numbers of large prey in the area, tigers have begun to hunt the domestic animals, and this has given rise to a heated human-tiger conflict. The Lao government and the WCS are working to defuse this conflict by reducing grazing in remote grasslands. They hope to achieve this by keeping the cattle nearer to villages and by cultivating sufficient fodder in these areas. 

Threats
The most imminent threat to the tiger population is their continued poaching for the commercial trade. Despite the advocacy of numerous organizations, extremely high sales prices continue to fuel the black-market industry.  It is estimated that a mature male tiger could fetch upwards of 70,000 US dollars, and thus, it is not surprising that many impoverished regions continue to struggle with this problem. Other threats include the decline of large prey and increased killing for the protection of livestock.

WCSActivities
WCS is committed to understanding tiger ecology and mitigating tiger-human conflicts in Nam Et – Phou Louey NPA. One of the main aspects of the project is continuing to research tiger population numbers and monitoring the larger mammalian prey. This is chiefly accomplished through the use of camera trapping, where a camera trap workshop for the camera trapping team was headed by Mr. Venevongphet and Dr. A.Johnson at NEPL NPA head quarters in October 2005. Results from the camera traps between October 2005 and April 2006 indicated that; tiger density ranged between 0.2 and 0.5 tigers/100 km square, overall abundance of prey had decreased slightly between 2004 and 2006 and that the number of hunters had increased 12-fold between 04 and 06. WCS staff also trained and supported a Tiger Conservation Education team that delivered public programs about NPA core zones and regulations to NPA communities and military camps. In November 2005, a fodder nursery was established in Viengthong district to relocate livestock out of the NPA and back to villages to reduce livestock depredation by tigers and tiger poaching. Core zones and village boundaries were delineated as a result of tiger awareness campaign programs in 11 villages surrounding tiger core zones that conducted land use planning and management awareness raising activities. Anti-poaching patrols were conducted throughout 2006 to collect information on wildlife threats and implement NPA regulations. Conservation awareness activities have become a key aspect in the fight to preserve the tiger. WCS currently sponsors outreach programs at the school, village, and military level and also sponsors a once a week radio program to educate the greater public on conservation issues.

Important Next Steps
• Continue to monitor abundance and distribution of tiger and prey populations, and tiger depredation of livestock
• Demarcate village management zones around the protected area core zones
• Conduct anti-poaching patrols and construct sub-stations at the main access roads to the protected area
• Raise awareness and support for tiger conservation in military camps, schools and in the villages surrounding the core zones
• Improve livestock husbandry in the villages where tiger depredation of livestock has occurred, this will involve relocating large livestock close to villages and cultivating fodder to feed them
• Construct the information centre at the NEPL NPA headquarters, and work with tour operators to develop wildlife-based tourism
• Chanthavy Vongkhamheng to examine prey densities and prey selection by large carnivores