While
international and national NGOs, National Tiger Conservation
Authority, the World Bank, Global Tiger Initiative and Global Tiger
Forum, and many others were taking a 'stock' of world's tigers in Delhi
for the past 3 days, one more tiger out of this 'stock' was poached and
chopped into pieces by barbaric human beings, whom we all know as
'poachers'. Another tiger has been ruthlessly killed near Tadoba-Andhari
Tiger
Reserve (TATR), Chandrapur, Maharashtra. The poachers carried its head
and paws and left the remaining body, cut into pieces around 15 km from
TATR. The poachers are believed to be of
Bahelia community of Katni, Madhya Pradesh. The poachers dared this
heinous act when the Forest Department of the State has already issued a
RED ALERT in the State in anticipation of tiger poaching incidents! What an irony of sorts! All those
deliberations, articulate powerpoint presentations, discussions over
cocktails and 5-star food over 3 days between world tiger experts, top-most forest officers, conservationists, scientists and NGOs, weren't enough to do what needs
to be done...PROTECT EVERY TIGER in this country & the world, and at
any cost. The
Global Tiger Recovery Program aims to double the numbers of wild tigers
by 2022. With all due regards to the prestigious organisations involved, it seems a
very difficult task to achieve in India, unless the MoEF and respective State
Governments take stringent steps.
Perhaps
now a blame game will start in Tadoba...as the tiger
was found dead outside the TATR, so is it from the tiger reserve or the
surrounding forest division? A few transfers...maybe as 'punishment'.
But will this solve the problem? Will this ensure safe haven for tigers
in India's forests. In this case, however, the forest department has no
choice but to accept this incident as a clear case of poaching. Had the
body been intact, an autopsy would have been conducted and the
post-mortem report would elaborate the cause of death in scientific
terms, which would not make any sense to a lay man and certainly DOES
NOT indicate the circumstances that lead to its death. It is highly
shameful that despite a 'red alert' and 24X7 surveillance, the forest
department could not prevent such an incident. Only two weeks ago,
another tiger was killed in Tadoba by poachers. While the tigers in Protected Areas are relatively safe, they are under severe threat
in the sink areas like territorial forest divisions and forest corridors.
How many more tigers need to die untimely before common sense
prevails and strict anti-poaching measures are taken by every
State of this country? Why can't every tiger reserve have fully equipped
tiger protection forces with sophisticated weapons, vehicles and
trained commandos who can deal with any eventualities? Why can't the
Kaziranga model that has successfully dealt with poachers, be
implemented in other States? Are tigers (and other wildlife) in
Maharashtra and other States less important than
in Assam? Armed anti-poaching patrols must be stationed at all tiger
reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and the surrounding sink
areas to deal with poachers and other mafias.
We
ALL must unitedly let the governments know that we the PEOPLE of this
country will not take such incidents lightly in future. The forest
department MUST at any cost do whatever they can to protect the tigers
and other wildlife in India's forests. Many of the tiger reserves now
have enough machinery to deal with poachers and other anti-social
elements; thanks to the generous donations raised through NDTV campaign
and Wildlife Conservation Trust. The forest departments have now nothing
really to crib about being ill-equipped and short staffed. Protecting
wildlife is their job and duty, and they must do it with all sincerity.
If anyone lacks the necessary passion, vacate the seats for more
deserving individuals who have the fire in their hearts. Any further
nonsense and diplomatic explanations should not be tolerated. Enough is
enough!
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.172971989415972.38502.100001095156835&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.172971989415972.38502.100001095156835&type=3
It is such an irony. A tiger hunt during "Red Alert" is really shameful for a country that ambitiously talks of doubling the numbers and reintroducing exotic cats.
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