An accidental wilderness
In the dense, remote forests of northern Myanmar, decades of armed conflict created an unexpected refuge for one of the world's most endangered big cats. The region, particularly Kachin State, has long been a zone of instability, making large-scale commercial logging, road building, and agricultural expansion exceptionally dangerous. This constant state of conflict inadvertently preserved vast tracts of forest, the important habitat for the Indochinese tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti). These forests now represent one of the largest and most intact tiger habitats in mainland Southeast Asia.
Initial surveys to understand the tiger population began in earnest around 1999, led by the Myanmar Forest Department in collaboration with organizations like the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). These early expeditions into the Hukawng Valley were the first to scientifically confirm a viable, breeding population of tigers. This evidence led to the government's 2004 decision to establish the Hukawng Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, initially covering 6,500 square kilometers. By 2010, the sanctuary was expanded to cover the entire valley, creating the world's largest tiger reserve at 21,800 square kilometers.
Camera trapping is used for studying these elusive predators. Motion-activated cameras provide researchers with photographic evidence of tigers and other rare wildlife. Between 2001 and 2011, a decade-long study using 403 camera stations in the Hukawng Valley captured thousands of images. These images help because each tiger possesses a unique stripe pattern, allowing scientists to identify and track individual animals without direct contact, providing data on population density and distribution.
A fragile stronghold
While the forest remains, the tigers face persistent threats. The most immediate danger is poaching, driven by the high demand for tiger parts in the illegal wildlife trade. A two-year survey found only 22 tigers in protected areas, signaling a population in critical decline. The national population is estimated to be fewer than 50 mature individuals, split between two subpopulations. This makes the species Critically Endangered within Myanmar. Poachers target tigers directly but also hunt their primary prey, such as sambar deer and wild boar, further straining the predator's survival.
The camera trap surveys reveal an area with high biodiversity beyond tigers. The cameras have documented 35 mammal species, including clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa), Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), and Asiatic golden cats (Catopuma temminckii). In total, the Hukawng Valley hosts around 40 mammal species and 140 species of birds.
Conservation efforts are a complex mix of scientific research and on-the-ground protection. A National Tiger Action Plan for Myanmar outlines goals: suppressing the killing of tigers and their prey, stopping habitat loss, and establishing protected corridors. The ongoing political instability since the 2021 coup has hampered the work of international NGOs and made conservation work more difficult and dangerous. Local rangers and communities, like the Tangshang Naga, continue to help in monitoring wildlife and protecting these important forests.