Most numerous tiger pushed out of its home

The Bengal (Indian) tiger is the most numerous of all tiger subspecies. However, a burgeoning human population and its own needs are pushing the tiger out of its natural habitat.

Increasing human-tiger conflicts often lead to retributive killings. The tiger also faces a serious threat from poachers.

Where do Bengal tigers live?

Bengal tigers are found in an array of habitats in South Asia – from mountains to savannas to mangroves.

A tiger also found in mangroves

Bengal tigers mostly inhabit the dry and wet deciduous forests of central and south India, the Terai-Duar grassland and sal forests of the Himalayan foothills of India and Nepal, and the temperate forests of Bhutan.

Also, they are found in Bangladesh, Myanmar, and China.

The mangroves of the Sundarbans (shared between Bangladesh and India) are the only mangrove forests where tigers are found. The Sundarbans are increasingly threatened by sea-level rise as a result of climate change.

How many Bengal tigers are left?

The Bengal tiger is one of numerous subspecies, with around 1,850 individuals surviving in the wild.

India is home to the largest population, with about 1,400 tigers – although a recent government survey indicates there might be as few as 1,300. Around 150 live in Nepal. Accurate estimates are not available in other countries.

What is WWF doing?

We are working with local partners to strengthen anti-poaching efforts, and to reduce threats to the natural habitat, both in India and Nepal. Work is underway to reduce pressure on natural forests so that you can reduce conflict with people.

Saving tigers by protecting their landscapes

In 2002, WWF developed a new and far-reaching strategy together with other conservationists and authorities. The cornerstone of the tiger conservation programme is a landscape-based approach. Seven priority landscapes have been identified where conservation will benefit the long-term survival of tigers in the wild.

Within these key landscapes, WWF and its partners work to reduce or remove threats to tigers in the wild by restoring their habitat, maintaining connectivity, and securing a wilderness landscape, strengthening anti-poaching efforts, working with villages in critical tiger corridors, mitigating human-wildlife conflict by creating physical barriers (solar fencing, CPTs), providing interim relief schemes to curb retaliatory killing, providing alternatives to reduce pressure on forest resources, exploring and supporting alternative livelihood options, facilitating institutional strengthening of local communities and creating awareness among villagers and local populace for their protection.

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I grew up in natural environment in locality at a distance from Jabalpur in green suburbs. Narmada Road was then sparsely populated with greenery the hall mark and forest patches still intact in the surroundings. Urbanization had not taken place and few houses and couple of villages habituated the area. Jabalpur is situated in Central India or Madhya Pradesh.
My first sight of the Indian tiger was a dead one. It was shot by shikaris from Mumbai whence hunting was open. The license fee was perhaps  not more than hundred rupees for a tiger and less for other unfortunate mammals. The hunting blocks were all around Jabalpur.  The male tiger was shot at Nauradehi Wild Life Preserve in block called Amahpani. It was a piteous site, the animal was skinned right in front of us. Parts of its body including fat were eagerly picked up by locals for supposedly medicinal properties. I do not remember what happened to its claws. 
My first sighting of a leopard was a dead one. The leopard was shot few km away from our house by a local shikari who lived nearby. The Mumbai hunting party then fetched another leopard cub, shot by their Swiss guests on machaan …mercilessly butchered with random bullet shots all over the body. Another vermin dead….
I once accompanied this hunting party whence we came across a doe at night in Mandla forest division. We were spared from the fright of gunfire and extreme guilt of killing an innocent animal. The shikari accompanying us on jeep was dead asleep, after an orgy of binge drinking and gluttony he was in no position to shoot. This was my first encounter with a spotted deer in the wild. The shikari slept with head leaning on the gun barrel…who cared.     
Then scores of animal arrived, sambar, chital, hare and what not…Mercifully all that organized hunting stopped whence legislation came into the effect.          
The neighborhood teemed with wild animals all around Jabalpur District also in Katni, Mandla and Sihora to name a few. All that is gone, some patches still hold small life and spotted deer which are entirely at mercy of humans. But in spite of the law, many influential people continued to shoot and the numbers began to decrease. Hunting by tribals and local hunters continued unabated as it happens often now. 
Subsequently large tract of forest became devoid of tigers, leopards and Indian wildlife. Jabalpur and its surrounding districts suffered heavy loss of wildlife and forest belts. In small numbers, deer and leopards still survive (perhaps tigers as well) but precariously since hunters still loom large. Most of the deer species have died out here but animals like wild boar still survive. These are the prime targets of illegal hunters and poachers now.
The diminutive beat guard is helpless figure over shadowed by Goonda and Political Raj. He is a witness to poaching and wood logging, the latter on daily basis. Who stops all this frankly.. I do not know…Pardon my ignorance. Posted byupty123at10:09 AM

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