Tigers Die and Neros Fiddle

Tiger Deaths India

With the recent spate of tiger deaths, many questions arise.

• Are we becoming complacent in a conservation-focused on the big cat? 
• Does the administrative structure need a rethink? 
• Are some of the higher echelons too obsessed with tourism in the parks? 
• Have we given up? 
• Have we stopped seeking new solutions to save the species? 
• Do we realize that the big cat is slipping away? 

Focus on Tiger Tourism

With obsessive involvement in tourism, is it taking the topmost slot, well it appears to be...the big cat is slowly slipping away from the grasp. Do not look at the recent increase, the survival of each tiger is crucial and the only death acceptable is the one that is natural. 

Regulated tourism is a healthy practice, and creates equity for wildlife besides generating crucial monetary resources and jobs for locals. This is one activity that accords a mutual benefit to tigers and humans alike.  We need more such activities or recreations that are beneficial without a negative impact on the ecosystem. Hence besides a broad framework, the daily excursions should be under the purview of the FD, but the influence of external bodies is obvious in tourism in parks. The local bodies have little laxity in making on-field changes. Why all this? This will leave greater time for planning conservation initiatives for those at the helm. 

Buffer Zone Rethink

We have to rethink what can be allowed in the buffer or outer ring which is a crucial sink for tigers and is as important as the core. I stress again and again that the outer ring should be accorded equal status on par with the core as far as conservation initiatives are concerned. This is the last safe ground for the dominant tiger who has lost ground in the core. The buffer zone is a greater sanctuary for animals who cannot compete in critical tiger habitats. 

A large number of man-animal conflicts, poaching, wood logging, livestock intrusion, and illegal land grab are taking place here. Wildlife managers have taken a proactive step by creating buffer tourism. More has to be done including relocation which may sound brazen, but maintaining the population balance of humans and livestock will keep biotic stress in check. Organized livestock rearing along with feed is the answer and the locals will benefit tremendously. Paradoxically with such large herds, not enough milk is produced and resorts depend upon powdered milk.    

The buffer zone hitherto neglected is extremely crucial for sink populations as well as the conservation of all species - flora and fauna. It also provides added land diversity in terrestrial terms due to long-term land use near human settlements.  But of late it is overflowing! 

More Than Buffer

Besides the buffer, alienated patches of nearby forests with good crown cover could be used as a sink but a mini corridor has to be created devoid of excessive human movement. This is already happening in a few of our reserves even though no viable corridor is in existence but then more could be done to create larger space for the big cats and thus sustain greater numbers.      

Tiger Deaths a Contemporary Issue 

We have to focus on this issue as a large number of tiger deaths have been unnatural and continue to date. This calls for a micro audit of the whole management chain which includes decision-making bodies, planners, and executioners. 

As a matter of fact, some experts speak, literarily media and commercial news mongers all are functioning as mere reporting machinery and nothing else. They are not to be blamed since most of them are not involved in the conservation initiatives, and most do not have much idea of socio-economic issues and hordes of related issues that tiger conservation faces. One should note these factors are not akin to those in more urbanized circumstances and need more grassroots-level initiatives. 

This spate of tiger deaths accrues from the fact that we have sought solutions solely from a central quasi Government body that seems to be self-opinionated, and its obsession with tourism is quite apparent. This is my personal opinion, and this obsession is distracting from the main objective. There is already a simmering issue in the administrative quarters regarding sidelining of experts who have continuously worked on tiger conservation and have gained much-needed experience in handling conservation-related problems. (Book "Wardens in Shackles" by H.S. Pabla.) 

If you work as a field naturalist you are sure to notice this aspect of crucial tiger management in India. It is human to err but rectification should be timely.     

The need to save the tiger is not a biological quest at the moment, since no critical health issues are affecting the predator anywhere in India. The need is for macro solutions which take into account the contemporary issues related to the big cat and conservation in general. How we approach human-related issues that are existential threats since humanity tightly engulfs our reserves overwhelming is crucial for species to survive. The big cats cannot breathe or set out of confines without encountering human footsteps, settlements, and livestock, these are nigh friendly nor conducive to their existence. Thus the species is facing a severely constricted environment limited to a small core zone or a critical tiger habitat as experts term it.  Tigers' need for space is insatiable but we should have a goal in the plan as an objective and provide all available space. 

As tigers continue to die this calls for introspection. The first finger points to check the efficacy, especially of organizations at the helm and right down the line till the last crucial link the foot sentinel.   

A National Level consensus is required not of politicians but between those well experienced in tiger conservation. This should lead to rethinking the existing framework and policies being pursued before presenting the plan for execution on the table of the ruling dispensation for acceptance. This after all is democracy.  

More on Dying Tigers

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Uday works as a freelance naturalist and loves to write on related issues. He also provides SEO and content writing services. He runs classes on digital marketing in summers in his home town Jabalpur.  

He can be contacted :

pateluday90@hotmailcom

9755089323  

Dying Tigers

Tigress Killed

She was choked to death in the cave, the one place she had chosen to give birth to cubs, but fate had another story chalked out for her. Upon discovering the tiger's lair, the poachers mercilessly clogged the opening and set things on fire. She was not incinerated but rather suffocated by smoke that had filled in the cave. She was killed along with cubs in her womb. This sordid saga is not just one event, there is an ongoing onslaught on the endangered beast in India. 

In a spate of few weeks, some more tigers have been killed, and this is alarming. Often the murder is passed off as a territorial fight or due to old age, how many of these narratives are true God only knows! Who bothers since the big cats are no political liability, the incidence could just pass off as unfortunate.

Killings using guns, snares, live wire, and poisoning the kill of the beasts are ongoing year on year. In a spate of eight years around seven hundred tigers have died, and almost half have been killed leaving the rest accounting for natural deaths. 

The figure of seven hundred is ominous with most of the deaths taking place in Central India and Maharashtra, incidentally these states account for a robust number of big cats. In some other States, the population is sizeable and so are the deaths but States are not in the context in this write-up. With the increase of 750 animals between two nationwide censuses the deaths equal them, or maybe if the unaccounted or missing ones are taken into account we are losing more tigers than conserving them.    

Even if we do not enter into the nitty-gritty of census and the growing numbers, the large number of deaths should be considered alarming. Add to this wrong labeling in case of poaching's being declared as territorial fights the figure rises exponentially. 

This points to lacunae in the management practices with regards to the conservation units all over India. Once we get over our obsession with tiger tourism, which by all means is innocuous with the regulation in place we have to dive in as to what is going wrong. 

We can call the poisoning of cattle or other livestock killed by a tiger a man-animal conflict. But live wire, snaring, hunting by gun or other weapons is not a man-animal conflict it is poaching or pure murder and a crime. This is going on for too long in India for comfort, and no concerted effort is being noticed for the amelioration of this deadly scourge. 

Why this neglect?

This is not a pure case of neglect there are gaps in our protection mechanism. And the solution is at the macro level.  

The number of such incidences could be reduced if the local staff or ground staff is proactive, alert, and effective. The latter aspect is missing. The post is part of a huge government sector called the forest department and is under the aegis of State machinery.  Still, under colonial makeover, the department functions in isolation and is not proactive enough to invite public involvement hence there is no voice as a result. Most of the news generated is by an instance of tiger death and at best limited to the incident often without many details. 

Hierarchical Alienation

Hierarchical alienation is evident since some of the top brass function in isolation surrounded by a coterie which includes the ubiquitous babus. Add to this there is substantial political interference, and corruption for which not all, and the department as a whole, cannot be blamed. There are honest and hard-working people in the whole hierarchy starting from the top. But those corrupt mar the functioning and this impacts conservation initiatives.              

Hierarchical alienation leads to lower staff which is most instrumental in the protective mechanism work in complete isolation, and in a weakened position. There are two reasons: lack of support from the higher-ups since many least bother to work at ground level, and an ineffective legal mechanism. I had been pointed out these lacunae in the system by the ground staff many times. The enormity of administrative work could be another reason for the lack of interest in the field.    But let's keep in mind the dedicated honest work loving in the management the reason behind success in an increase in numbers. I am not judging everyone under the same lens since a lot of commendable work has been done.

Corrupt officials and subordinates interfere in the functioning or are lax in their attitude. Some in the management of tiger reserves are just there to while away their time with no interest in conservation, while some are not fit enough to undergo rigorous physical and mental demands of fieldwork. As regards this, it has been pointed out time and again that placement should be subject to merit. But this is not happening as favoritism, personal preference and political influences are still being talked about. Readers should note that political/administrative pressures and demands are very much prevalent in this ecosystem. Special privileges especially as regards tourism must come to an end.

 Core Vs Buffer

The anomalies in the core or the inviolate area are much less, and greater administrative cohesion is seen. This is due to a better sense of duty, pride in the heritage, and public pressure that is constantly hovering. 

The buffer is the convergence point where outside influences creep in. The outside group comprises of political goons, mafia, and detractors mostly those under severe threat perception, or under the influence of organizations that do not agree with conservation practices. 

We must also note that a good number of locals are bereft of wilderness, treat predators as threats, see herbivores as food, and have the least interest in conservation. This leaves out dedicated officers and ground staff who nevertheless carry out their duty to save the animals that survive between humans. To the benevolent group, we must add the staff, guides, small businesses benefiting from tourism and the number is sizeable. This group is supportive of all conservation initiatives and put in efforts to make them a success. 

The beat guard or forest guard is most susceptible to threats, negative influences, stressful working conditions, and as mentioned earlier he works weakened. This leads to a weak protection mechanism in the buffer where most of the tiger deaths are taking place. Few incidences do take place in the core as well especially in areas near the buffer. The borders of our tiger reserves are porous and people can enter easily as not every nook and corner can be guarded. 

In most of our tiger reserves, in spite of demands for parts due to TCM or other reasons poaching is less. Few small times poachers do exists and kill tigers accidentally wide a mechanism meant to obtain game meat. But this is happening regularly and modus operandi is live wire or snares. The ultras wherever present prevents sound protection.            

Revenge for man/livestock kills can be termed as man-animal conflict and this is done using poisoning of the half-eaten carcass. As a preventive measure, the tiger kill is removed so that in absence of predator poising will have no impact and this is working effectively in the periphery of the reserves. But for other maladies, there is no solution yet.    

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Uday is a blogger and offers Seo + Content For Digital Marketing Services. 

He teaches digital marketing (SEO) in Jabalpur.

He freelances as a naturalist/birder at Kanha National Park. He loves to write about travel. 

He can be contacted at: 

pateluday90@hotmail.com

09755089323

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