Tigers in India

Crystina Bakus ENR 2300, SU 2013

In the past two decades alone wild tiger populations around the world have declined 96.8%, through a combination of habitat loss and poaching. This is not only incredibly scary but sad. Tigers are like wolves in that they are both key stone species. Due to management failure in 2004 Sariska lost its entire tiger population. Sariska Tiger Foundation from its birth has been trying hard to persuade all the decision making authorities and raising the public voice in order to convince the governments to execute the reintroduction plan as early as possible. As per this plan in the first phase three female and one male were to be shifted from Ranthambhore tiger reserve. The foundation has succeeded in achieving this objective but again due to carelessness of the reserve management one of the above-reintroduced tigers fell victim at the hands of the villagers. Loss of this tiger has brought the situation to old position. This loss is to be recovered soon through reintroduction of one male again at an earliest in order to generate healthy competition between the two males.

However, the villagers need the tiger for many ecological reasons. Researching over 115 kill sites, scientists found that nearly half of the tiger's prey was made up of sambar deer. Just like with the U.S the over population of deer and other grazing animals causes over grazing and habitat loss, which upsets the entire ecosystem of that area. Surveys have shown that locals largely approve of the reintroduction of the tiger and view their attacks on livestock as generally culling sick and weak individuals.

There is a very good outcome for this problematic situation. Fortunately Ranthambhore has over flowing population of tigers, which is much beyond its carrying capacity. This over population has caused severe competition among tigers as a result many of these have been driven out of the reserve resulting in to fatal accidents. Tigers are killing tigers. Villagers have killed tigers straying in to villages. Tigers have killed villagers inside and in the out skirts of the reserve. Shifting of few more tigers will not only be good for replenishing Sariska with its lost tiger population but also will save many tigers whose life is in real danger in the out skirts of Ranthambhore. This will also help in reducing man- animal conflict in Ranthambhore. The current plan is for three more tigers to be introduced every two years for the next six years. I think this is a perfect outcome, where we can balance human and tiger lifestyle. By keeping the tigers happy and healthy in the wild, and humans safe in heir villages, I believe that like humans and wolves, humans and tigers can live side by side.

Link:

http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/tigers-successfully-reintroduced-into-indias-sariska-tiger-reserve.html