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WELCOME

TIGER CONSERVATION MEASURES IN INDIA

TIGERScientific name : Panthera tigrisGeographical Habitat: 13 Asian countries (~7% historic range )Length: 275 to 290 cm (M), 260cm (F)Population in India: Around 1706

TIGER HABITAT MAP

The Indian TigerTiger in India is said to have migrated from cold climes of Siberia or nearby regions.It subsequently spread into India, where ever it found a suitable habitat- thick dense forest and tall grasslands with dense forest canopy in the vicinity.Although tigers in India were revered according to Indian culture, they were still used as game animals, most extensively in the colonial period.

The Alarm bells Jim Corbett realised that numbers of tigers & leopards where sliding down.Before legislation in 1971,hunters could legally shoot tigers for a paltry sum between Rs.10 to Rs.45.Tiger was treated as a vermin along with the leopard, wolf, hyena & wild dogs.In the sixties, the tiger numbers came down to as low as two thousand five hundred.

Over the past century, number of tigers had fallen from about 40,000 to less than 4000(as few as 1500) . The reasons being:

PoachingClearing of habitat for agriculture Fragmentation of habitatDemand for tiger skins & parts for medicinal purposesDepletion of their chief prey like deer, wild pigs and wild cattle by locals.Man-Tiger conflicts.

Legal Provisions for Tiger protection.1970- National ban on tiger hunting1972-Wildlife (protection) Act.1973-Tiger task Force appointed, Project Tiger launched41 Tiger reserves in 2014 (66,178.68sq km)Stringent provisions in law to combat tiger crime: creating NTCA & WCCB (W(P)A amendment in 2006)

NTCA- National Tiger Conservation Authority

Estd: December 2005Responsible for implementation of Project TigerConstitutes 8 experts & 3 members of parliament.Facilitate and support tiger reserve management in states.Eco-development & peoples participation as per approved management plans.

State level Steering CommitteesChairmanship of respective Chief MinistersProvision for State Govts to prepare Tiger Conservation Plan viz. Staff development & deploymentEnsures compatible forestry operationsThe core as well as buffer areas have been explicitly explained to avoid ambiguity.

WCCB:Wildlife Crime Control BureauUnder MoE&F,to combat organized wildlife crime.Collect & Collate intelligence related to organized wildlife crime activities & disseminate the same to State & other enforcement agencies for immediate action.Establish centralized wildlife crime data bankCoordinate actions by various agencies & assist foreign authorities & State Govts.Capacity building of wildlife crime enforcement agencies.Assists & advises Customs authorities in inspection of consignments of flora & fauna.

PenaltiesOffencePenaltiesGeneral OffenceMaximum 3 years sentence or Rs.25,000 fine or both.Offence involving species listed in Schedule I or Part II of Schedule IIMandatory prison term of 3 years(extendable up to 7 years).Mandatory fine of at least Rs.10,000.For a subsequent offence : same prison term, while mandatory fine is at least Rs.25,000 Offence committedWithin a sanctuary or natural parkMandatory prison term of 3 years(extension up to 7 years).Mandatory fine of at least Rs.10,000.For a subsequent offence : same prison term, while mandatory fine is at least Rs.25,000Offence committed insidecore area of a Tiger ReserveMandatory prison term of 3 years(extendable up to 7 years).Fine of Rs. 50,000 extendable up to Rs. 2 lakhs.On subsequent conviction of same nature: imprisonment for at least 7 years & a fine of Rs. 5 lakhs extendable up to Rs.50 lakh

Despite these penalties ,WPSIs wildlife crime database records of over 900 tiger-related court cases only a few have resulted in convictions and most are still pending in courts.Only 61 people have been convicted for killing a tiger or trading in tiger parts.

Schemes & Projects to save TigersProject Tiger : Under NTCA, Launched in 1973.Aim: Aid & facilitate the breeding of tigers within a safe environment & transport these tigers further afield.Established a Tiger Protection Force to catch poachers & stop the killing.Relocated about 200,000 villagers in rural areas, to avoid man-animal conflicts.Initiatives to improve quality & quantity of vegetations so that tigers & their prey can have sufficient food & shelter.Established Tiger Reserves for better protection.

India TigerProject is focussed on the tourism industry & how it can be tailored to assist protection & conservation of tigers.It does so by making tourists aware of the issues, linking commercial tourist activities with conservation programmes, providing support to local communities & assisting forest guards.It buys local goods & uses local services and they encourage tourists to do the same.

Tiger Projects by other organisationsCombating the Asian big cat trade 2011 2012-EIA.Engaging India to build a constituency for tiger conservation-BBC-WF,WCS-India.Recovering wild tiger populations through habitat consolidation 2010- BBC-WF & WCS-India . Reducing wildlife mortality due to roads in Nagarhole-Bandipur corridor.Recovering wild tiger populations through habitat defragmentation 2008Threat reduction to Tigers 2007 -2008Save Tigers Now-WWF

TIGER RESERVES

Tiger Reserves are protected areas, based on a core-buffer strategy.The core area is kept free of biotic disturbances & forestry operations.The buffer zone is managed as a multiple use area with twin objectives : 1) habitat supplement to spill over population of wild animals. 2)Site specific ecodevelopmental inputs to surrounding villages.Forestry operations,NTFP collection & other rights and concessions to the local people are permitted except if buffer areas are a part of national parks.

PERIYAR TIGER RESERVEUNDP Best Tiger reserve award recipient.People oriented & park centred community based ecotourism.expanding existing protected areas to support viable, breeding tiger populations, & link them with habitat corridors.Protection through ex-vayana EDC (1998) by ex-poachers (turned protectors).Three types of EDCs:1) Neighbourhood-based EDC2) User group EDC3)Professional EDC

Other Initiatives to protect tigers:Recovering tiger & prey populations through better management of protected areas.Strengthening community engagement in habitat management & tiger conservation.Multi-stakeholder forums to discuss, mediate & resolve conservation issues. Wildlife research & monitoring techniques with special emphasis on tiger monitoring.

Crisis in Tiger ReservesRanthambhore Tiger reserve lost 21 tigers in between 2002 & 2004 due to poaching. A hunting tribe called Mogiya tribe was detected in the reserve.Sariska tiger reserve lost all its tigers due to poaching by 2005, Tigers had to be reintroduced from Ranthambhore. Tigers, that enter into human settlements, are deemed as man-eaters & frenzied mobs have often killed them.

Role of civil societyAs people know more about tigers, they will try harder to protect them.Although most of us cannot go out & protect wild tigers ourselves, we can support some of the organizations & researchers working to save tigers.Dont buy tiger products like tiger fur or teeth.Help protect environment & stop deforestation.

We can also do our part by:Spreading the wordBeing a responsible touristInforming nearest police station, if you know of poaching or illegal trade of wildlife.Reducing pressure on natural resources.Encouraging students.Educating the locals.Stopping poaching & not encouraging poachers. Protecting forestsDonate money to tiger conservation organizations.

Role of NGOsAlthough NGOs can never match the scale of Govt. operation, funds or manpower. But NGOs can help with information, expertise & passion.Improving life of localsReducing pressure on limited natural resources.Alternate energy programs, breed improvement programs & non formal environment education.

WPSI : Wildlife Protection Society Of IndiaRegistered non-profit organization Founded in 1994- by Belinda WrightObjective : Tackling Indias Growing wildlife crisisWPSI works with government law enforcement agencies throughout India to apprehend tiger poachers & traders in tiger parts.Investigates and verifies seizure of tiger parts and unnatural tiger deaths.

Investigation : with a network of undercover agents & informants on illegal trade.Crime Data: WPSI Database has records of over 15,300 wildlife crimes involving 400 species.

Training : Wildlife Law Enforcement Workshops for enforcement agencies, 25 workshops in 12 states.

Conservation : Supports Conservation projects like Support to Bandipur Tiger reserve, Corbett Tiger Reserve, Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, Trade and Wildlife Crimes Grassroots NGO support network, WPSI Tiger Protection Awards, Award for information that leads to seizure.

Education: Prints, posters & media campaign for wildlife protection .

OUR SUGGESTIONS

Induction & use of UAVs as force multipliers to patrol tiger reserves. Establish gene mapping projects for tigers & a tiger gene bank under GoI or any other international organisation. Better methods for conducting tiger census(better than PIP ).Armed squads to check poaching. Poacher rehabilitation programmes.

..Our legacy to posterity..

..OR..

MAKE THE ROARS GROW

Department Of Zoology Government College, Chittur