"Tigers live in the jungle." Any two year old can tell you that. But the two year old will probably not know how close we had come to not having any tigers in our jungles. In 2008 we had only about 1400 individuals in the wild. Since then, because of various conservation efforts, the population has shown an increase and stands at 2226 as per the 2014 survey. Though this is a good sign, we still have a long way to go.
In ancient times, humans truly believed that they were the center of the Universe. To their eyes it seemed that the sun and the moon revolve around the Earth. While such theories were challenged and disproved ages ago, at the subconscious level, we still believe that the world revolves around us and our needs. So we tend to judge the value of a species just by its immediate impact on us. Since killing a tiger doesn't have a direct impact on us, we tend to look the other way.
However, nothing can be farther from the truth. The death of a tiger does have an impact on us. Tiger is the apex predator in a jungle. In fact it is the only natural predator capable of keeping the populations of large antelopes and deer, such as Nilgai and Sambhar, in check. This was proved by the fact that as the populations of tiger plummeted, Nilgais proliferated and now they have been branded as "vermin". And with the unexpected rise in the population of herbivores, the pressure on trees and vegetation increases. You can probably guess where this is headed.
Tiger conservation, or for that matter, conservation of any species, requires a shift in mindset. Otherwise, we are just treating the symptoms, not the disease. Extinction of species because of human interference is not the disease, it is the symptom of a much deeper problem - our tendency to take nature for granted and not look at the broader picture or the long-term impact of anything.
While the government is taking steps in this direction, we, the common public, can do a great deal too. But first we need to realize that it is us who need to change.
1) Treat wildlife with respect when you go for safaris - I have been to several wildlife safaris and during some of them I was horrified to see the behavior of the tourists, as well as, in some cases, of the tour operators. They drive up too close to the animals and make a lot of noise. They forget that jungles are actually homes of these creatures and we are just guests, and uninvited at that. We need to give these animals their privacy. Tigers in general are the center of attraction in most of these safaris, and as soon as a tiger is sighted, every jeep in the vicinity heads to the place.
Imagine yourself in a tiger's metaphorical shoes. You are out for an afternoon siesta and suddenly you find yourself surrounded by 10-12 metallic giants with a crowd of humans in each. You want to have nothing to do with these humans and you keep your distance, but these metallic giants keep inching closer, until you aren't comfortable anymore.
Imagine yourself in a tiger's metaphorical shoes. You are out for an afternoon siesta and suddenly you find yourself surrounded by 10-12 metallic giants with a crowd of humans in each. You want to have nothing to do with these humans and you keep your distance, but these metallic giants keep inching closer, until you aren't comfortable anymore.
The end result of such a situation will probably be another T-24 (the infamous tiger of Ranthambore that was recently confined after it killed a forest guard, its fourth human victim). As the distance between humans and tigers is compromised, several issues emerge. Tigers lose the fear of humans, and with that the chances of human-animal conflict increase.
So when we go on safaris, we should be mindful of this fact and not tolerate any unruly behavior on the part of our fellow travellers or the staff manning the tour vehicles.
2) Understand and accept the fact that this planet belongs as much to other animals as it does to us - By now I think everyone understands that we human beings may claim to be the most intelligent species on the Earth, but we surely don't behave in such a way. We have behaved like inconsiderate looters who have been draining the planet of its resources, not realizing the fact that it is our very home that we are looting. We have failed to respect nature and the natural order of things. And by this measure, almost all other species are superior to us. All creatures except Humans live in complete harmony with nature. So in fact they deserve the planet more than us. So when a man jumps into a tiger enclosure despite all fences and barricades and the tiger kills him when the public starts throwing rocks at the animal, don't ask questions like "Why didn't they shoot the tiger? Human life ki koi value nahi hai kya?" You may not like the answer. Today, a tiger's life is indeed more precious than a human being's.
Believe this truth and go be an advocate for the tigers. Spread the word. No human disease is worth curing if the medicine requires killing tigers. Speak against people who propagate such beliefs.
3) Invest some time and energy into doing tiger safaris. This will not only fund the conservation efforts, it will also enable you to write/speak about Tigers and their conservation with much more authority. Write about tigers, share heartwarming stories about tigers and their cubs. Move your readers and inspire them to take part in campaigns such as #AircelSaveOurTigers.
Mobile network operator Aircel, as a part of their #AircelSaveOurTigers initiative, has been working tirelessly for the cause of Tiger Conservation. They have acted as enablers for rescue teams in the zones that are prone to Human - Animal conflict. They have also been involving school children in the initiative by making them aware of the issue and by creating ambassadors out of them. We need to do something similar. Let us create an army of people who love tigers, and then inspire them to further inspire other people. Let us become a nation of people who love nature and wilderness.
Mobile network operator Aircel, as a part of their #AircelSaveOurTigers initiative, has been working tirelessly for the cause of Tiger Conservation. They have acted as enablers for rescue teams in the zones that are prone to Human - Animal conflict. They have also been involving school children in the initiative by making them aware of the issue and by creating ambassadors out of them. We need to do something similar. Let us create an army of people who love tigers, and then inspire them to further inspire other people. Let us become a nation of people who love nature and wilderness.
4) Teach your kids to live in harmony with nature. Apart from what kids learn in school, there are many more lessons that are at least as important for them. Teach your kids about nature. Teach them to listen to the songs of the the birds and to try to identify them. Help them understand trees. Teach them how a leopard and a cheetah are two very different animals. Inform them that we once had cheetahs in India and how we lost them because of our greed. Tell them never to call a tiger a "sher", but a "baagh". Show them beautiful creatures like butterflies and teach them to take joy in how they flit from flower to flower. Build a birdhouse in your balcony and make it look inviting enough so that a bird adopts it as its home. If possible, keep a pet. Help your kids accept nature and creatures other than human beings as a part of their lives. This will not only transform them into keen observers but also someone who treasures nature and understands the roles various creatures play in nature. Some may ask how this will benefit tigers. The answer is that we don't have to save tigers just for today, nor do we have to save only tigers. Once we have enough tigers in the wild and if and when the balance of nature is restored, we will need to have a generation of human beings that is protective of our planet as a whole, not just a species
Our parents gave us what they themselves, in many cases, were denied -- financial security and the luxury of choice. We have to inculcate in our children what we lacked -- an empathetic attitude towards the other inhabitants of this planet. The next generation has to be more intelligent than us, and by this I don't mean that they should be pros at using technology and gadgets, but that they should actually realize that intelligence doesn't always mean staying ahead of others, at times it also means taking others with you as you move forward.
Nature works on a fine balance and if you think about it, you will see how beautifully the machinery works. Today we can choose to do away with the natural machinery and surround ourselves with an artificial lung. Tiger has become a symbol of this choice. Save tiger and stay with nature. Lose it and be prepared to discard our natural way of life and step into an artificial world. To me, it doesn't sound like such a difficult choice. What about you?
About the Blogger -
VJ Sharma is Software Professional and passionate about Travel, Photography & Blogging. He has been blogging at www.Travellingcamera.com for more than 8 years now, which has more than 32 lac pageviews till date. VJ is involved in various Photography & Blogging related activities across the country. He strongly believes in responsible blogging and sharing true/unbiased information on this blog.
Our parents gave us what they themselves, in many cases, were denied -- financial security and the luxury of choice. We have to inculcate in our children what we lacked -- an empathetic attitude towards the other inhabitants of this planet. The next generation has to be more intelligent than us, and by this I don't mean that they should be pros at using technology and gadgets, but that they should actually realize that intelligence doesn't always mean staying ahead of others, at times it also means taking others with you as you move forward.
Nature works on a fine balance and if you think about it, you will see how beautifully the machinery works. Today we can choose to do away with the natural machinery and surround ourselves with an artificial lung. Tiger has become a symbol of this choice. Save tiger and stay with nature. Lose it and be prepared to discard our natural way of life and step into an artificial world. To me, it doesn't sound like such a difficult choice. What about you?
VJ Sharma is Software Professional and passionate about Travel, Photography & Blogging. He has been blogging at www.Travellingcamera.com for more than 8 years now, which has more than 32 lac pageviews till date. VJ is involved in various Photography & Blogging related activities across the country. He strongly believes in responsible blogging and sharing true/unbiased information on this blog.
VJ is also Adobe Certified Expert in Lightroom and has been actively working with different organizations in India to take workshops on Lightroom, HDRs, Color Management and Black and White processing.
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