| Tigers
The
Indian Tiger - Quick Facts
Scientific Name: Panthera Tigris
Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Estimated Remaining Population: < 3,000
Size and
Physical Characteristics: The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the
largest among all the living wild cats of the family Felidae.
It has an elongated body, short neck, and compact head with
a relatively short muzzle. The legs are stout and the paws are
armed with retractile claws. The total body length of an adult
male tiger is between 275-290 cm and that of an adult female
is 250-260 cm. The adult male tiger weighs 180-260 kg whereas
the adult female weighs 100-160 kg.
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What
is an Endangered species? (
Endangered means danger of the species becoming extinct or dying
out.)
Tigers
are facing major population losses & extinction. Tigers
are killed for sport, skins & body parts. The 1950s saw
extinction of the Caspian tiger. The Bali and Java tiger are
also extinct. The last Bali tiger was killed in 1937; the last
Javan tiger was seen in 1972. India today has the largest number
of tigers, with between 3,600 to 4,000. The South China tiger
(20-30 are remaining), is nearly extinct in the wild.
Reasons
for the Endangered Status
The Bengal tiger is endangered
because it is poached for its body parts to cater to an illegal
market. Another reason is habitat loss due to depletion of forest
cover interference of humans and encrochment of forest land
by people causing fragmentation. At the turn of the century,
there were almost reportedly 40,000 tigers in India, but now
only around 4,000 remain in the wild.
Why
Save Tigers?
Tiger
is symbol of wilderness and well-being of the ecosystem. By
conserving and saving tigers the entire wilderness ecosystem
is conserved. In nature, barring human beings and their domesticates,
rest of the ecosystem is wild. Hence conserving wilderness is
important and crucial to maintain the life support system. So
saving tiger amounts to saving the ecosystem which is crucial
for man's own survival.
Current
Status of Tiger in India
India holds over half the world's tiger population. According
to the latest tiger census report released on February 12, 2008
by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the current tiger
population stands at 1,411 (i.e. ranging between a minimum of
1,165 to a maximum of 1,657). The results include figures from
16 tiger states and are exclusive of Jharkhand and Sunderbans.
The state of West Bengal was covered only partially (i.e. North
Bengal) during the census.
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India's
Tiger Poaching Crisis
Until recently, habitat loss was thought to be the largest single
threat to the future of wild tigers in India. It has now been
established that the trade in tiger bones, destined for use
in Oriental medicine outside India's borders, is posing an even
larger threat. Having decimated their own sources, Far Eastern
traditional medicine manufacturers are now targeting India for
their supply of tiger bones. Poaching of tigers for the traditional
Chinese medicine industry started in northern India in the mid-1980's.
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WPSI's
Tiger Poaching Statistics
The WILDLIFE PROTECTION SOCIETY OF INDIA (WPSI) works with government
enforcement agencies to apprehend tiger poachers and traders
throughout India. WPSI also makes every effort to investigate
and verify any seizure of tiger parts and unnatural tiger deaths
that are brought to our notice.
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Tigers
:
Government Interventions
Protection/Conservation
measures taken by Government of India
Coordination
with other Departments and State Governments:
(a)
A special co-ordination committee under the chairmanship of
the Secretary (E&F) Govt. of India has been constituted
which includes Special Secretary (Home), Director, Central Bureau
of Investigation and Director, Narcotics Control Bureau.
(b) CBI has been empowered for investigation of wildlife offence
cases and a notification in this respect has been issued.
(c) Better coordination has been maintained with NGOs regarding
wildlife offences and information is exchanged with them.
(d) A National Conference of Forests & Environment Ministers
of State Governments was held in January 2001, and a resolution
known as "Coimbatore Charter" was adopted. The resolution on
forest and wildlife includes providing compensation against
wildlife depredation, filling up the vacancies of forest department
and reorganizing field formations, providing effective enforcement
infrastructure in the field and to designate special courts
for wildlife offences.
(e) Secretary (E&F) Govt. of India has taken meetings with
State Chief Secretaries regarding better protection of wildlife
and providing improved infrastructure to the field staff.
(f) Special trainings for intelligence gathering have been organised
for wildlife officers at the Sardar Vallabhai Patel Police Academy,
Hyderabad.
(g) Meetings with Principal Secretaries (Forests) and the Chief
Wildlife Wardens of States are held regularly in the Ministry
to discuss matters relating to wildlife conservation and prevention
of illegal trade in wildlife and their derivatives.
Other
initiatives include:
- Training
programmes and Workshops have been organized to sensitize
Govt. departments to be proactive in control of trade and
preventing smuggling of wildlife products.
- Central
assistance is being provided to State Governments to strengthen
the protection infrastructure including armed squads, vehicles,
communication network and co-ordination between the Park managers.
- Schemes
for awards and rewards for outstanding performance and acts
of valour have been introduced to encourage detection and
reporting. The State Governments have been advised to strengthen
vigilance and intensify patrolling, apart from organising
training and workshops for various enforcement agencies to
ensure effective intelligence gathering and law enforcement.
- To
control transboundary trade, a protocol has been signed with
Peoples' Republic of China and a MOU with His Majesty's Government
of Nepal.
- A
Forum of Tiger Range Countries, "Global
Tiger Forum" has been created for addressing international
issues related to tiger conservation.
- Launching
of public awareness programme to involve Non-Governmental
Organisations and others for supporting the Government in
its efforts towards wildlife conservation.· Supporting programmes
of Institutions and NGOs in exploring tiger-trade routes and
developing a forensic identification reference Manual for
tiger parts and products.
- Hon'ble
Prime Minister has addressed all the Chief Ministers to give
due importance to wildlife issues, and to upgrade the skills
of staff both in respect of wildlife crime prevention and
prosecution of offenders (March 29, 2001).
- A National
Wildlife Action Plan (2002-2016) has been launched with
action points and priority projects.
- "A
Wildlife Conservation Strategy 2002" has been launched
by the Hon'ble Prime Minister on January 21, 2002 at the XXI
meeting of the Indian Board for Wildlife.
- Funds
are being provided to State Governments for eco-development
of fringes to reduce the biotic pressure on Protected Areas
under a Centrally Sponsored Scheme since VIII plan, which
is ongoing as a merged component of "Project Tiger" and assistance
for "Development of National Parks and Sanctuaries". An externally
aided "India Eco development Project" has also been launched
in seven states, covering 7 Protected Areas. This project
has components for village ecodevelopment, improved PA management,
education and awareness, impact monitoring and research.
- Provision
for providing 100% Central Assistance to deploy strike force
in sensitive areas.
- Providing
100% funding support for Project Allowance to frontline field
staff of Tiger Reserves.
THE GOVERNMENT OF PEOPLES' REPUBLIC OF CHINA
THE
GOVERNMENT OF PEOPLES' REPUBLIC OF NEPAL
TIGER
TASK FORCE
19 April 2005
Government appoints CSE director, Sunita Narain, chairperson
of a five-member Task Force to review the management of Tiger
Reserves in India
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Project
Tiger Scheme
Project
Tiger Scheme has been under implementation since 1973 as a Centrally
Sponsored Scheme of Government of India.
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Past,
Present & Future
Tiger population in 1900 : 40,000.
Tiger population in 1972 : 1827 Enter Project Tiger Scheme
Tiger population in 2000 : 4000
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Tiger
Population
Habitat Evaluation
System
Statewise
Tiger Population
Population
in Tiger Reserves
Strengthening Monitoring System
Independent Monitoring
Law
Wildlife Protection
Act 1972
National Wildlife Action Plan
Wildlife Conservation Strategy 2002
Tigers
: NGO Interventions
Satpuda
Foundation
BNHS
: SAVING THE SATPURA TIGER LANDSCAPE
WPSI
: Support to Bandipur Tiger Reserve :
Wireless sets for anti-poaching camps
In the year 2005 WPSI raised funds for the purchase of 10 GM
338 Mobile stations and 17 GP 328 Walky Talky sets, to aid the
anti-poaching personnels of Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Bandipur
Tiger Reserve is situated in the southern State of Karnataka.
The area has long been recognised as one of the most important
tiger habitats in the subcontinent; Bandipur was among the nine
Tiger Reserves created in India at the launch of Project Tiger
in 1973. It is also classified as a Level I TCU.
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WPSI
: Tiger Poaching & Illegal Wildlife Trade Investigations
Interpol says the trade in illegal wildlife products is worth
some US$12 billion a year. India, as home to some of the most
charismatic animals on the planet, is now a major source market
for this trade. Most of the demand for wildlife products comes
from outside the country - unfortunately, it is our wildlife
heritage that is plundered to supply external demand.
BNHS : Tiger Cell
(Source)
Final
Report 2005-06
Mobile Tiger Van of BNHS under the project of Satpuda Landscape
Tiger Project (SLTP) supported by Born Free (U.K) completed
it’s one year. The Mobile Environmental Education unit
carried out the conservation awareness programme for Tiger habitat
in the peripheral villages of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve,
Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra), Pench Tiger Reserve (Madhya
Pradesh) and Satpura National park.
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