Conservation and Best Places for Spotting Tigers in India

India's Recent Conservation History 

Central India retains its status as a tiger state with more big cats in its reserves than any other. This is a matter of pride and a sign of huge success in the conservation of the beleaguered cat. The problems faced by the endangered animal are literary insurmountable, but yet their populations grow in our country. Whereas we retain fifty percent of the population in India, it is losing ground elsewhere on Earth. 

Once we had contiguous tracts of forests and grasslands which formed fragile yet tenable ecosystems that supported myriads of life forms to conserve sustainable biodiversity in a robust environment. The lifelines of these precious natural places were the major rivers and their tributaries. This is not the case anymore as they have been either dammed or altered by engineering and this continues. This has prevented or altered the movement of keystone species and has resulted in subsequent damage to their environment and the ecosystems as a whole.  

Nature is a highly sensitive element of Earth and even slight alteration may threaten the survival of species, and the environmental equilibrium that is crucial for the sustenance of life on Earth including that of humans. There are in fact no pliable solutions to engineer earthly elements for infrastructure developments some strategies may only mitigate but not prevent a hole in the protective shield. Even the current methods of agriculture and livestock rearing are damaging the globe the former in an irreversible manner. Wood extraction, mining for minerals, and fossil fuels need an immediate reversal by developing renewable alternate energy sources which are merciful on carbon emissions.    

The perfect state did not last long after the arrival of invaders with ideologies that were not nature-centric, unlike the Vedic ethos. The growth of the human population though in a nascent stage at that time was slowly burgeoning. The advent of firearms, the use of wood for economic urgencies, the widespread prevalence of hunting among the privileged, and the later clearing of large tracts of forests to settle humans and support agriculture to make the rapidly rising population sustainable spelled disaster for our ecosystems. Today good crown cover survives in isolation and that too is under constant threat. The protected areas or PAs are in disconnect and a large number of them exist in complete isolation surrounded by a sea of humans all over.  

Conservation & Tourism 

The efforts to save the big cats continue, and in conservation, leitmotif tourism plays a major role. To be specific it is tiger tourism that is at the front of saving the species from extinction. This is done by according equity to the majestic animal and by providing crucial revenue for conservation activity. Another balance that tourism augurs are awareness of the complex web of life and its importance.    

The survival of tigers does not depend only on numbers; it is dependent upon a number of factors including political resolve, reduction in man-animal conflict, and unchecked linear infrastructure developments that go through the heart of our reserves. Saddled between popular expectations and the need to leave our ecosystems untouched the dispensation is in a quandary badly trying to find a middle ground that practically does not exists anymore after severe depredation. 

The crucial role played by the protected areas cannot be denied. It is this creation that has accorded space to the predator and protected its home from destruction by humans in the surroundings and those at the helm of economic game plays that the country has experienced right from the day of independence.     

The successful tiger reserves act as a breather for the species to overcome the challenges it faces in an effort to secure its existence on Earth. Unfortunately, the existential threats accrue from various quarters thanks to callous human nature and greed which tramples over all that the Earth stands for.  

Though there are fifty reserves in India not all are bustling with the endangered animal. Some exhibit a pathetic record of conservation due to negligence and prevailing conditions in the surroundings which are not conducive to the survival of the cat in the confines. 

But there are many reserves that are doing well and the species is regaining ground. The present beleaguered status of the tiger in India is due to the wanton destruction of its habitats, hunting, poaching, and man-animal conflict which is strangulating the species slowly but surely. These stressful factors needed immediate emancipation and Project Tiger conceived in the seventies has been active in saving the species. All PAs with tiger populations are under the aegis of this program in India that includes popular National Parks, WLS, and the reserves we so often visit to spot the majestic hunter.  Wildlife Protection Act 1972 has been crucial in protecting all life forms in the country and continues to do so in present times.       

Tiger tourism generates revenue for the parks and thus reduces the onus of funding on the State. Funds flow from other sources as well keeping the conservation initiatives alive. The industry as a whole contributes to revenue generation and provides employment to the locals and this results in empowerment as well. 

They are employed in the forest department, by the hotel industry as well as the small enterprise which supports local economies. Not all reserves receive a large number of visitors. The factors responsible for the surge of tourism in some reserves are good tiger sightings, sound infrastructure, and easy accessibility. This holds true for overseas visitors as well. In the present circumstance, Covid 19 Management will play a crucial role.       

Some of the best places for tiger spotting in India are few known ones. They are as follows:

• Kanha National Park
• Bandhavgarh National Park
• Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
• Corbett Tiger Reserve
• Tadoba Andhari Reserve 
• Pench Tiger Reserve 
• Panna Tiger Reserve 
• Periyar Tiger Reserve
• Nagarhole 

Though sightings may vary in these parks due to local factors generally the presence of big cats is robust thus increasing chances of sighting on tour. Make your plan according to the tour design and try to include at least two parks to enhance success. Remember to book excursion permits well in advance as entry into the reserves is limited.

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Uday Works as Freelance Naturalist and Blogs on conservation, tigers, and environmental issues. 

He also provides SEO and Website Content in English.

Uday Teaches Internet Marketing Classes in his hometown of Jabalpur in the summer.  

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Perspective : Protected Areas In India

Wildlife Protection Act 1972 - Provisions Chapter IV 

Image: Dharamagiri

In order to save the vanishing tiger and other life forms Wildlife Protection Act was constituted in India. This was in the year 1972 and thenceforth hunting of all wild species became illegal and punishable.  Hunting is permitted in extraordinary circumstance especially when an animal has become threat to human lives. Another reason for allowing hunting is in case of excessive damage caused to crops in agriculture fields. This permission is mired in  controversy but instances have occurred wherein it has been granted.    

The act also outlays the concept of National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary. Often known as protected areas, set of rules and regulations apply to both. Many amendments have taken place since the legislation, but only the concept in brief has been described here.   

Apart from protecting wildlife, the objective through conservation of habitats is to preserve all life forms in India.   

Wildlife Sanctuary 

In case of a Wildlife Sanctuary, the State Government will notify its intent if the area under consideration is of ecological and geological importance with prevalence of diverse life forms that constitute flora and fauna. The notification also specifies the area to be brought under the Wildlife Sanctuary.  

After notification powers are vested with the collector for land acquisition or rights. Continuation of rights under some circumstances with the permission of the Wildlife Warden is possible.    

The status of most of the wildlife sanctuaries in India is anywhere from being protected. Relocation requires political and administrative will which is severely lacking in this context. One of the largest wildlife sanctuary in MP, Nauradehi has more than sixty villages within the confines but no relocation has taken place so far.

In many of the cases there is a lack of funding, or the relocation itself is an immense exercise, hence the status is far away from the protection that is required. As compensation substantial amount is given to evacuee or in lieu a suitable land is awarded.      

Cattle grazing intrusion, illegal logging, poaching and even land use in these sanctuaries is rampant causing disturbance to wildlife which perhaps will never recover until unless corrective steps are taken with urgency. Although there is no dearth of conservation practices wherever enthusiastic staff prevails, increasing population and the uncontrolled resource utilization encumbers protected areas with biotic pressures. Immunization of livestock is also vested in the act. 

National Parks

NPs are notified in the same manner as the wildlife sanctuary, most of the conditions remain the same. Both types of protected areas may also be notified by the Central Government. This type of protected areas are symbol of National pride hence greater degree of protection is accorded to them.

No livestock grazing or other such activities that may be allowed in a sanctuary are permitted in NPs. Land acquisition and translocation are executed with greater urgency in National Parks. They have been better protected as well. The areas that have substantial tiger population have been brought under the aegis of Project Tiger Conservation Programme initiated by the Central Government.      

The success of conservation programs in India is checkered with some areas doing better than before. However large number of areas are facing immense problems as mentioned above. While the tiger population has risen marginally many species of plants and animals are still under the brink of extinction.     

More Tigers Outside PA

I just came across the news of four tigers being found in Nandhor Valley in Uttarakhand State of India.This is heartening news as all discoveries of new tigers is going to be. 

Please read here: Tigers Outside Protected Areas

More on Nandhor Valley

Almost ten years back I had seen a mating pair in Kundwara R.F near Jabalpur. This pair was also seen by few villagers and an SDO who patrolled that area. Similarly there are unconfirmed reports of tigers in  Mandla Division on Jabalpur Mandla Highway, some good forest patch adjoining the Narmada River. This could be sightings of leopards but who knows? 

I believe there may be more tigers outside the PAs, but most of the Reserve Forests in the country are in pathetic state. The existence of the stray tiger population could be in precarious state. 

Sentinels of the Wild

Recently the Karnataka Government has instituted a special task force to protect the tigers in the reserves. The need for specialized and highly trained task force has become imperative in order to deliver physical protection to tigers and other animals in their natural home. 

I emphasize on the words training and hence acclimatization. I have heard of an incident in Kanha whence a force constituting retired soldiers lost their wits whence accosted by a tiger. Some firing out of fear is also said to have taken place.  I do not know how far this is true but nevertheless such a situation can be visualized easily. 

Since the inception of protected areas protection has been the biggest farce. On my recent visit to Nauradehi WLS I could see intrusion at number of places, and there are fearless wood smugglers involved in felling and smuggling teak.    

The present infrastructure at our tiger reserves is weak the forest guard is a helpless entity and easily succumbs to local pressure or lucrative liaisons. In absence of higher support he merely does his duty without any intervention. I have rarely seen presence of high officials in neighboring reserve forests, same may apply to many protected areas in India. The forest guard are easily overpowered by poaching mafia and wood smugglers in protected areas hence a more supportive mechanism has to come into picture.     

The delay in relocation process is another disabling factor since intrusion and illegal activities in the forests  are done at the behest of criminals from neighboring communities. There are some gangs based in neighboring districts and states who regularly poach in nearby protected areas. These groups are more professional and armed and ruthless towards their objective.

An armed force with war front capability is the need of the day if debacle like Sariska and Panna have to be avoided.