While 86 per cent of areas in South Asia, Russia and China stated that finances are either sustainable or are on the way to being sustainable, in comparison only 35 per cent areas in Southeast Asia are in a similar position. “Unless governments commit to sustained investments in the protection of these sites, tiger population may face the catastrophic decline that they have suffered over the last few decades,” said Michael Blazer, Chair of the Executive Committee of CA|TS. “While the findings are discouraging for sites in Southeast Asia, the story is slightly different with CNP which has celebrated four years of zero poaching of rhinos since 2011. Now CNP boasts a viable tiger population with an estimated 120 of Nepal’s 198 tigers. “Well-developed governance/management structures bringing together park authorities, Nepal Army and local communities, along with effective trans-boundary relations at the local level have been crucial in facilitating tiger conservation and checking illegal wildlife trade,” said Dr Ghana Gurung, Country Representative of WWF Nepal.