Trip in Mondulkiri, EPL and Vladivostok Forest

After I have become a tiger ambassador, I have experienced two field trips to the tiger territories or habitates. The two trips was done separately; one was in Mondulkiri, Cambodia, and another was was in Vladivostok, Russia in which was support by WWF Russia and WWF Cambodia. First, I went to Mondulkiri Pretected Forest as a part of Eastern Plains Landscape which is located in Mondulkiri province, Cambodia. Another field trip was held in Vladivostok, Russia. On the both trips, I was accompanied by WWF staffs and the rangers in the local areas in Mondulkiri and Vladivostok. I have learned and gained a lot of experiences from these trips. I have noticed that there were many different things between these field trips, but at the same time they shared some things in common.

Evergreen forest in EPL, Mondulkiri, Cambodia

Bamboo forest in EPL, Mondulkiri, Cambodia

Hunting Estate in Vladivostok, Russia

Nature reserve in Vladivostok, Russia

The obvious difference that I could see and feel were the weather and type of forest in both areas. Duing my stay in MPF in Mondulkiri province, the temperature was about 16 degree celsius ,and it was raining almost everyday. We found it hard to find the sunny day in that area. Because of this kind of weather, the forest in that area was green all the time. In contrast to the weather in Mondulkiri province, the weather in Vladivostok of Russia during my field trip was extremely cold. It was about minus 5 degree celsius below zero, and what I could see around me was only white snow and empty leaves trees. The brown trees without leaves made me feel that it was not the real forest even though I was in the middle of the jungle because I was used to the view of forest with the green color like one in Mondulkiri province.

Amur Tiger with the thick fur living in Vladivostok, Russia

Another different is types of animals and the food that the wildlife eat. I could know by comparing the photos the tigers themselves. Subspecie of tiger in Cambodia is Indochinese, while the subspecie of tiger that exist in the forest in Russia is Amur tiger. Since the weather was different, the wildlife which lived in both forest are also different in appearance because they needed to adapt themselves to the surrounding environment. Forexample, the Amur tiger living in Russia has thicker fur than the Indochinese tiger living in Cambodian forest.

Sika Deers, a prey of Amur Tiger in Russia

Wildlife in Far East Russian Forest

Moreover, the type of the tiger preys were also not the same between Cambodia and Russia. When I was in Mondulkiri province, WWF staffs, wildlife reachers, have told and shown me some photos of the tiger preys taken by camera-trap. Those types of herbivores were wild pig, manjac, banteng, gaur, etc. However, some types of tiger preys in Cambodia do not exist in Russian forest such as gaur and banteng. As I was told by the rangers during my field trip in Vladivostok, the commone prey for Amur tiger were wild boar or wild pigs, sika deers, hares, and so on.

The tiger preys species in our forest enjoy eating vine roots or the roots of the trees, while the type of habivores in Russia enjoy eating the seeds, the fruite of Korean pine trees, etc.

Video Conference on November 24, 2010

Youth Declaration via Teleconference

Through many presentations and discussions on tiger situation, the threats to tigers, government policy on tiger conservation, and youth action in conserving tiger in each country, all youth delegates have discussed the draft of YOUTH DECLATION and finalized it. The word in Youth Declaration are the word that we, youth, declared via video conference or teleconference to support the action of head of government in 13 tiger range countries on their effort in conserving tigers. Following is the Youth Declaration to the head of governments during Tiger Summit in St. Peter Berge.

An Appeal by Participants of the International Youth Tiger Forum

We, the youths participating in the International Youth Tiger Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, in this Year of the Tiger, appeal to the world to save the tiger. We represent all 13 tiger range countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam) and the United Kingdom.

During these past few days, we have learned more about the plight of the tiger, its decline and the threats facing the species. Not only is the tiger hunted, it is also losing much of its home – the forests.

We know for many of our countries, development is important. However, we do not want development that results in us losing many of the world’s natural wonders and wild species like the tiger. We want our children to be able to inherit a living planet full of the wonders of the natural world.

The tiger knows no political boundaries. For example, tigers from Russia travel to China, and tigers from Nepal frequently cross into India. Likewise, tigers from Laos trespass the border into Vietnam, before wandering into Cambodia.

We therefore call on the governments of the countries that still have tigers in the wild, to urgently unite in efforts to save the tiger and double its numbers in the wild by 2022. Only by swiftly acting together across borders can we reverse the situation and stop the decline of tiger populations.

We also call on the governments of economically developed countries to support national and international programmes on tiger conservation through providing funding and technical support. The conservation of the biggest cat on the planet for future generations is a noble and essential investment. Tigers live in forests rich in biodiversity; therefore, tiger conservation will have immeasurable benefits for overall nature conservation, as well as for the many local communities who rely on these areas for basic needs and ecosystem services such as food, water and timber.

We invite the world’s youths to join us in supporting tiger conservation. Our youth action plans have a role for everybody keen to lend support to the youth tiger conservation movement – from increasing awareness to mobilizing youths to take action; from adopting a green lifestyle to actively volunteering in activities such as replanting of degraded forest areas.

We pledge to continue in our role as Tiger Ambassadors to actively promote activities and mobilize the youths of the world in doing our part to conserve one of the world’s most iconic symbols of biodiversity conservation.

Let us together make this year a turning point for the tiger.

Thank you                                                                             

                     

I always remember the last word that we said together after the Youth Declaration which was *LET`S SAVE THE TIGER TOGETHER!* The best words ever. We, youth, will put this word into action after be are back to our homelands.

Unforgetable Field Trip to Amur Tiger Territory

The morning of November 20 came, that day we needed to get up earlier thant he previous two days. We ate breakfast and went to catch the bus for our field trip to Kedrovaya Pad state nature reserve and Orlinoe model hunting estate. Youth delegates were splited into two groups. Group O, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, China and Russia, was the group that went to Kedrovaya Pad state on the first day of field trip and group K with the rest of delegates went to Orlinoe model hunting estate first. On the next day group O and group K would exchange their place to visit. We were in the O group, so we went to Kedrovaya Pad state nature reserve before the K group.

1st day field trip to Kedrovaya Pad state nature reserve

After two hours travelling, our O group reached an area which controled by WWF and it is called WWF visitors` centre Land of the Leopard (Barabash village).

The entrance of WWF visitors` centre Land of the Leopard (Barabash village).

This is the centre in the Land of Leopard seeing from the front

The Beginning of YTS

Russian Tiger Hero, standing in the middle, said with the grief of Tiger Death

After the whole day trip, we came back to the hotel and gathered up to make a formal introduction about ourselves to other 13 countries youth delegates. Just right after our introductions, WWF staffs brought us a very hot news about tiger in Russia. Olga, one of the organizing committee, surprised us by introducing two rangers—one is a Tiger Hero in Russia, and another one is his colleague. The hero standed in the middle of the three people in the photo expressed his satification on seeing youth taking part in tiger conservation and also welcomed all youth delegates to the Amur Tiger territory. Eventhough he was very happy to see us there, his face showed that he was in grief of the tiger death just a few days before our arrival. One tiger in his protected area was pouched, so he was so sad. Yet, he said he would not give up trying to reveal the poacher of this hunting. Along with this sad news, he shared his experience of being a ranger, and how he could gain the name as Tiger Hero. His background is not so different from the background of Khmer Tiger Hero, Mr. Lean Kha. He used to be a tiger poacher before. However, when industrialization came, he realized that the nature that he loved to live in was gradually destroyed including the number of tigers in his area. Seeing the distraction, he decided to work as ranger with WWF as he knew that tigers are very vital for the whole environment. His point of view about tiger conservation is saving tiger is saving forest and also other spacies in the forest, so it worth him to take part as ranger. Being a ranger is not easy, he added; I have encountered many problems during my 13 years work in the field especially the problems with poachers. He went on that the main purpose of his effort on conserving tiger is saving this greatest creature for his next generation. He told us that he once brought his son to the protected area and show the little kid about the Tiger Footprints. The little boy asked him that DADDY ARE YOU PROTECTING THIS ANIMAL? And his answer was YES! THAT IS MY WORK, and NOW I STILL PROTECTING THEM. He went on telling us that he is not so proud of being a HERO but what he is being proud of the most is HE CAN PROTECT THE TIGER FOR HIS LITTLE CHILD and CAN SEE THE IMPRESSION OF HIS CHILD ON HIS ACHIEVEMENT ABOUT TIGER PROTECTING.

I personally admire him for his action. Being hero is not easy, but it worth being Tiger Hero since you can preserve the this wonderful spacies and inherit the colorful and green world to your next generation. I am very please to be able to take part in Tiger conserving actions and  to take action for the future of my next generation. I HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US!

 

Vladivostok view looking from the top of the hill

Travelling almost 1 hour from the hotel, finally we were at a place where we could buy some souvenirs from Vladivostok to give to our families and friends back home.

 

Foreign Countries Currency Exchanging

This was not business^^. Cash exchange here is something about culture exchange. Youth delegates from all the country exchange their currency to others as souvenirs. Exchage currency, exchange varieties and exchange cultures.

Famous Castle in Vladivostok

After having lunch together with all delegates, we toured around Vladivostok city. This is one of the best pictures that I have captured from the adorable view of Vladivostok city.

Vladivostok downtown

What I have noticed about Vladivostok is there are many car drivers. We stucked in the traffic jam almost every time when we got out. This is maybe because of the cold weather there. People will be frozen if they drive motobikes like what we do back home.