As wildlife knows no barriers and elephants, rhinos, tigers leopards, the endangered Barasingha, the main prey base of the striped felines, and a variety of aquatic life transmigrate annually propelling the necessity of having such corridors.

"As part of conservation efforts, India and Nepal have agreed to link trans-border protected areas through eco-corridors to help provide genetic continuity for animals across the border," says S C Sharma, Additional Inspector General of Forests (Wildlife).

While India and Nepal have already signed an agreement to this effect, a similar agreement to ensure safety of animals on transmigratory routes will soon be signed with Bhutan and Bangladesh, says Sharma.

India and Nepal last month decided to set up and maintain linkages between royalBardia National Park in Nepal and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh.

"An eco-corridor will also be built between Nepal's Chitvan National Park and Valmiki National Park in Bihar," says Sharma, who initialled the agreement at an Indo-Nepal meeting in the Capital recently.

According to experts, 45 elephants crossed from Dudhwa National Park in India to Royal Bardia in Nepal in 1995.

But India was also in for a "bonus" as six tigers migrated from Nepal's Royal Bardia to Sohelwa sanctuary in 1996 and a rhino moved into Suklaphanta Wildlife Sanctuary the same year.

"In fact there is a season for migration...For the Nepal rhinos, it is the monsoons so that they can feast on the rich Indian rice crops," says Usha Rai of WWF-Tiger Conservation Programme (TCP).

While the deer species migrate in the hottest months of summer to cooler climes and water, elephants, tiger and leopards, cross-over round the year, says Rai.

At the bilateral trans-boundary consultative meeting on biodiversityconservation, experts also explored methodology for strengthening trans-boundary cooperation including identification by both sides of specific requirements of the protected areas on each other's territory.

"A consensus to promote bilateral cooperation on the issue of trans-boundary protected areas system and control of illegal trade in flora and fauna has also been agreed upon by India and Nepal," says Sharma.

"We have also taken serious note of illegal trade in timber, flora and fauna across the border and resolved to curb and eradicate smuggling through close collaboration and vigorous implementation of laws in this regard," he says.

The deliberations also entailed follow-up action on decisions taken during the first meeting in Kathmandu earlier.

"After two years we have discussed and reviewed the decisions taken during the Kathmandu meeting and realised that problems faced by both sides could be handled only through bilateral cooperation," says Dr Thirtha Man Maskey, Director General, Departmentof National Park and Wildlife, who led the Nepali delegation.

At present, one of the greatest threats that the tiger, as so many other endangered life forms face is the fragmentation and the consequent deterioration and isolation of the habitat and the loss of its prey base.

"We have agreed towards stringent implementation of respective legislation pertaining to conservation of flora and fauna in both countries and providing funds to the protected area managers of the two sides to counteract poaching and illegal trade," Maskey adds.

Amending respective wildlife acts, synchronisation of periodic enumeration of wildlife in protected areas, monitoring trade routes and species in trade including seasons of trade, facilitating aquatic migration in trans-border rivers and exchange of forensic training and mapping were some of the issues discussed during the meeting, sponsored by the WWF-TCP.

Management of eco-divisions and buffer zones with participation of the local people around the protected areas wasalso agreed upon and five new buffer zones have been created on the Nepali side, says Maskey

However, there is an apprehension that like earlier bilateral and international conventions on migratory species and shared sources which had little impact, the present deal would also remain an umbrella agreement.

But discounting this argument, Sharma points out "the trans-border cooperation has already helped in evicting several encroachments along the border like Lala Bagha after it was declared as protected area."

"It has also led to identification of 12 sensitive spots along the protected areas on the Indian side for greater cooperation on trans-boundary poaching," he notes. Both Governments would also allocate their own resources.

Annual consultative meetings between the two countries will also be held and quarterly meetings between the trans-border protected area managers will be convened.