The tiger's future without the roar of the ‘tiger-man'
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Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
Tigers are not out of the woods yet
Synopsis India faced a severe decline in its tiger population post-independence. Project Tiger helped increase the numbers significantly. Now, the tiger population is over 3,700. Balancing tourism and conservation is a key challenge. Protecting villagers' interests is also important. The threat of poaching and the Chinese market remains. India needs innovative solutions for tiger conservation. Agencies The figures speak for themselves. In 1947, India's human population was 340 million and there were an estimated 40,000 tigers; when Project Tiger was launched in 1973, there were just 268 of them left although humans in India had nearly doubled to 584 million by then. So, since Independence 1,600 tigers had been killed per year, more than during the British Raj actually, although it was the white sahibs who had made large-scale hunting of the big feline a fashionable "sport".Till it was banned in 1972, people may recall that shikar was a tourism draw in India, with "game hunters" coming to shoot these magnificent animals, much as they kill lions in Africa now. That was probably justified then (as it is in some countries in Africa even now) as a legitimate economic activity, as there's such a "surplus" of them. What is a surplus? Surely if any species is "surplus" right now, it's humans but sport is not considered a way to remedy for "sport" or pleasure not food was always a pastime for Indian monarchs. But in the 19th century it became so democratised that every burra sahib, feudal and local notable worth his khidmatgars shot tigers, leopards and even the cheetah (the latter to extinction) by the mid-20th century. And to this day, hundreds of stuffed animals or their skins and heads adorn old forts, palaces and mansions. But people cringe at the very idea of displaying human skulls. Why?The human population of India has quadrupled from the 1947 figure to a whopping 1.4 billion now, but the tiger population has also increased over 10 times from 1972's abysmal three-figure to over 3,700 now. That we have managed to do this is nothing short of amazing even though there are alarming photos all the time of hordes of noisy, camera-wielding desi tourists in our tiger reserves and national parks. And that highlights a piquant to retired Forest Service stalwarts speaking on World Tiger Day at the Tollygunge Club in Kolkata last week, it was clear that unless people feel invested in tigers, they will not be motivated to protect them. The official focus, of course, is on villagers who live next to tiger reserves and often feel sidelined in favour of the endangered species. Their concerns-especially regarding compensation for families of those killed by tigers-are being addressed so that they do not regard the animals as enemies or harbingers of death and financial ruin. But what about the millions of tourists? Roads cutting through core areas, more vehicles accessing sanctuaries and staying longer hours inside, hotels hemming in the jungle and the sheer pressure of human interest in tigers and other large wildlife like lions, rhinos, elephants, gaud (bison) are scary developments. But the monetary lure of the insatiable Chinese market for wild tiger parts is also a perennial threat. So, could curtailing public access in order to protect tiger habitats then actually aid poaching?India's human population growth has slowed hugely; we now have to continue to demonstrate to the world the efficacy of our different approach to "managing" wildlife too. When India banned the fashionable "sport" of hunting and decided to save the tiger, the world sniggered. Seeing 268 become 3,700, they cannot deny the success of Project Tiger. With the Chinese spectre always looming, India also needs to think imaginatively now to resolve the current tiger-tourism conflict too.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Legacy of conservation, from royals to commoners
It is a rum thing, but it is often the most prolific hunters of wild creatures who turn into their fiercest defenders. Their reasons range from base selfishness – if we hunt every last wild animal down, there will not be any left for us to hunt – to a deep love and respect for wildlife and forests developed over long years of getting to know both intimately. To the latter category belonged the great tiger hunter from Nainital, Edward James 'Jim' Corbett, whose 150th birthday was celebrated last week, on July 25. Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar had marked off 90 sq km of forest for the Venugopala Wildlife Park (today covering a whopping 900 sq km, known as the Bandipur Tiger Reserve), as part of a conservation process that had begun three decades earlier (HT archive) Beginning in 1885, when he shot his first leopard for sport as a boy of 10, Corbett would go on to shoot 19 tigers and 14 leopards, all documented man-eaters. Alongside, however, his thoughts turned to conservationism, especially once he had gotten himself a camera in 1921, and began to enjoy the pleasures, and the risks – the early cameraman had to get much closer to his target than the rifleman – of capturing tigers on film. He wrote for the newspapers, denouncing trigger-happy marksmen intent on denuding the Indian jungle of big cats, authored books that lionised the tiger while narrating, in exciting, minute detail, his accounts of tracking and killing man-eaters, and advocated with local administrators to create protected forest areas. Corbett's sustained efforts paid off in 1934, when the governor of the United Provinces, Malcolm Hailey, established India's first National Park, the 300 sq km Hailey's National Park, which we know today as the Jim Corbett National Park. But the Mysore royals had stolen a march on Carpet Sahib (Carpet was the Kumaoni mispronunciation of Corbett). Three years before Hailey, Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar had marked off 90 sq km of forest for the Venugopala Wildlife Park (today covering a whopping 900 sq km, known as the Bandipur Tiger Reserve), as part of a conservation process that had begun three decades earlier. In 1901, the 17-year-old Maharaja, horrified at the indiscriminate killing of big cats, which the royals themselves had taken great pleasure in, introduced a landmark piece of legislation called the Mysore Game Laws, 1901, which severely restricted hunting and fishing. Happily, Mysore continued to lead the conservation charge post-independence as well. In 1952, when the Government of India constituted a Central Board for Wildlife, it was Nalvadi's successor, HH Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar, a crack shot who had himself killed man-eaters and rogue elephants, who was appointed Chairman. In 1973, when the central government launched Project Tiger, the wildly successful conservation program that has more than doubled the tiger population in the Indian forest over the past half century, Bandipur was one of the first nine tiger reserves to be picked to implement it. More excitingly, Bangalore had its very own Corbett – the hunter, writer, and conservationist of Scottish extraction, Kenneth Anderson. A full 35 years younger than Jim, his story reads like an uncanny echo of his idol's, except on two counts – Anderson's beat was the south Indian jungles, which he wrote about with much love, and he never got the national fame he deserved. According to government records, this old boy of Bishop Cotton Boys School shot eight man-eating leopards and seven tigers between 1939 and 1966 (in 1972, India's Wildlife Protection Act comprehensively ended hunting, poaching and wildlife trade, bringing much relief to the animals). In his nine cracking books of shikar stories, from Nine Man-eaters and one Rogue (1954) to Jungles Long Ago (published posthumously in 1976), Anderson writes with great charm and verve of his 'hunting escapades'. Today, the city's many world-class wildlife photographers and filmmakers continue the conservation legacy, shooting, with great love, not just the tiger, but every other animal, bird, insect, and tree that we share space with. (Roopa Pai is a writer who has carried on a longtime love affair with her hometown Bengaluru)
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Roaring for change: Experts reflect on tiger conservation
India commemorates World Tiger Day 2025 with a symposium, Lord of the Jungle, highlighting the nation's crucial role in tiger conservation, now home to over 70% of the global population. Despite this success, alarming tiger deaths this year underscore the persistent threats of habitat loss and poaching. As India celebrates World Tiger Day 2025, conservationists, experts, and artists have come together to raise awareness about the plight and protection of the Royal Bengal Tiger — a species that, while emblematic of India's wildlife, continues to face grave threats in the wild. A two-day symposium titled Lord of the Jungle, curated by wildlife photographer and conservation advocate Shiladitya Chaudhury, kicked off on Tuesday at a city club with a compelling blend of dialogue, art, and performance. The event aims to spotlight India's pivotal role in global tiger conservation, given that the country is now home to over 70% of the world's wild tiger population — more than 3,700 big cats. Despite this remarkable achievement, recent data presents an urgent reality: over 20 tiger deaths have been recorded in just the first four months of this year. This stark figure has reignited concerns about habitat loss, poaching, and human-animal conflict. The symposium features keynote sessions by eminent voices in the conservation space, including Dhriti Banerjee, Director of the Zoological Survey of India; Sunil Limaye, Member of the Central Empowered Committee and former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Maharashtra; and Pradeep Vyas, IFS (Retd.), a veteran forest officer. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Live Comfortably: 60m2 prefabricated bungalow for the elderly in Pangkalan Jati Pre Fabricated Homes | Search Ads Search Now Together, they delved into ongoing conservation efforts, policy gaps, and the road ahead for protecting India's national animal. Actress Gargee Roy Chowdhury was among the other dignitaries. "Saving the tiger isn't just about protecting a species — it's about preserving the soul of our forests," said Gargee who was seen to enjoy the exciting display of the majestic animal through a photography exhibition that will continue till today. Adding a cultural lens to the conversation, the day also saw a powerful Chhau performance depicting themes of man-animal conflict, reminding attendees of the delicate balance between development and ecology. The visual centerpiece of the event is a photography exhibition by Shiladitya, showcasing 36 stunning images of tigers captured across Indian reserves over two decades. The exhibit offers not just awe-inspiring visuals but also a poignant reminder of what's at stake. ''Lord of the Jungle is more than an event — it's a reflection of where we stand in the tiger conservation journey. We've come far since the launch of Project Tiger 52 years ago, but the battle is far from over,' said Chaudhury. As World Tiger Day 2025 unfolds, the message from India's conservation community is clear: while there is much to celebrate, protecting the tiger remains an urgent, collective responsibility.
