Forest officials with the help of nature lovers, used to conduct tiger and elephant census when we were in college. I know of some people who used to go on such census "hunts". I'm talking about 20-25 years back. Tigers would sometimes not be seen but they would be identified by their pug marks, each being unique. I have never seen a tiger in Bandipur or Nagarhole but I have seen fresh pug marks in nagarhole and spoke to a group of foreigners who had taken an earlier jeep tour and seen the animal. The next trip was ours and we managed to see the pug marks where the animal had walked. For an animal lover such as myself, the actual tiger would have been the icing on the cake but seeing the pug mark made my day in any case.

Looking at claims made by forest officials in India at other tiger sanctuaries and their subsequent "loss" from those habitats bodes ill for tiger conservation efforts. I also heard about the documentary showing tiger skins sold freely in Tibet, mentioned in Prem Subramaniam's note. The chinese also have some medicines that are made from tiger parts, bones and other animals such as the rhino. India is catering to an International poaching and smuggling ring. Valmik Thapar has been shouting himself hoarse but not too many in the establishment have responded favourably.

What happened to the tiger task force report? Due to media attention, the Prime Minister (no less!!) was "distressed" at the alarming reports of decline of the tiger population in India's National Parks and ordered an enquiry.

Mr. Prime Minister, I know you are a busy man trying to balance a coalition but hearing that you are sincere, are you or the PMO following up on the enquiry? What are the suggested measures to stop poaching? Where is the special commando force that is being talked about for a number of years (used very well in South Africa) to be deployed? What are the policies that are needed urgently to conserve all forms of wildlife? Are we going to be the generation that could not prevent such an important species from extinction? Mr. PM. give us a break, give people like Valmik, Billy Arjan Singh, Fateh Singh Rathore and the like, a break. Do something more than sound bites. Walk the Talk. If the tigers were a vote bank, how would you react? Think about it.

Poachers, however big or whatever celebrity status they have must be brought to book. The wildlife act must be strengthened. Watching and listening to Valmik Thapar describing the loss of habitat of the tiger and the poaching probelms makes me want to close my eyes and ears. Maybe thats what Indian politicians are doing. You see, Animals don't vote for these guys, nor do they pay MP's to ask questions in the Parliament,otherwise, they would be asking the questions that i have asked above.

"Tiger of Malgudi" is the book to read. I too am a fan of RKN and that is one book that I completed in one read. I just could not put down that book. I hope RKN was still around. Reading that book gives me a feeling of being the Tiger of Malgudi myself.

About the tiger on Mr. Mosale's website, I visited the link and only found the picture of a leopard. No tiger there.

I understand the thrill of seeing the ever elusive tiger in the wild. I have travelled through Nagarhole, Bandipur and Wayanad forest on a 2-wheeler. I too am still looking for the pug mark, at least!

The safari tours at Bandipur are conducted separately by every lodge. I stayed at different lodges during my two visits in 2005. The Safari always started exactly at 6: A.M and later at 4: P.M. It was a 2 hour tour.

During our visit in.February, we saw many peacocks, deer/stags, sambars, owls and eagles. There were different kinds of birds. We were lucky to see a herd of wild elephants especially the Tuskers with their young ones. But no tigers. But when I went trekking with a forest guide, I was convinced I spotted a tiger drinking water from the pond. It was very far away.

Again, last month (December), I went on a Safari with my sister and brother-in-law. The trees were very green and the forest, pretty dense. Apparently, they glimpsed a tiger just for few seconds. The forest safari guide showed us the pug marks. We also learnt later on, the wild elephants did not like tourists very much, especially recently. Of course the tigers and other wild animals prefer a jungle life with no hassles from us tourists. So there are no guarantees that we spot a tiger. In the evening after the Safari, a film on wild life was screened.  

There are 108 tigers and leopards, according to the census conducted by the forest department. The census  were based on the pugmarks of the tigers and leopards. Sandalwood trees were not much in evidence.. Some of the forest areas, I gathered, are bought by private parties and converted into cultivation fields. To improve the forests, no land in forest area should be sold to private parties. There should not be too many resorts inside the jungle. There needs to be more security to protect the animals. The forest department needs to use some kind of monitoring system to track wild animals without disturbing their peace.

 

Capt. Anup Murthy wrote:

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Wednesday 4th Jan issue fo Indian Express page 3 has a news item that says"Tiger on the prowl in village". The new report mentions that a tiger has been spotted in a village close to bandipur.

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A tiger was spotted in a sugarcane field, Kalligowdanahalli (Jan.3), some four km from the Bandipur Park. Field Director, Project Tiger, Mr Srinivasan: "It is common for tigers to emerge from jungles and hide in the fields to give birth....There are also instances when tigers lose out in the territorial fight and end up straying into fields".

The Mysore zoo authorities tried to tranquilise and relocate the animal, but the dosage proved  insufficient, according to Mr Manoj Kumar, executive director, Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens.

-The Hindu, Jan.5

Would have been a record worth maintaining, if the zoo people had videographed their efforts.

Bad news for wildlife lovers. CNN IBN news reports (Jan 6th) that 20 tigers have been found dead in the last 6 months in Ranthambore. CBI is to begin an inquiry into this finding. Now what Mr. Prime Minister? How long is the inquiry going to take place and whats your immediate response? Would someone be kind enough to alert the PM about this website? I'm sure that Valmik Thapar would be putting pressure on the Government. Disgusting that we have countrymen that poach rare animals for money and I don't really care whether these people are mired in poverty, I'd rather have this breed of humans (poachers) extinct.