Claudy GUIOT photographe de Nature
Nature wild and free
Bandhavgarh tigers
During the last 100 years, the tiger population has fallen by 97%
from 8 subspecies of tiger, three are extinct
Tigers protection in India
In the early 20th century the indian population was estimated at 50,000 tigers then in 1972 it was only 1800!
Following this finding, in 1973 under the management of Indira Gandhi Project Tiger was launched: New reserves representing 13 000 km ² are created, business rules are implemented. For project organization WWF gives $ 1 million.
The population of tigers in reserves is recognized by government parks and it seems to increase, going from 1200 to 3500 tigers. However Indian naturalists dispute these figures, and in 2005, under their pressure, an independent committee of park authorities is created, it's the "National Tiger Conservation Authority"
In 2008, the population of tigers is then revalued to 1411, after which the Indian government injects 8 million dollars in a campaign of awareness and protection
Currently, there are 42 "Tiger Reserve" representing 53,547 km ² and 8 other reserves are under consideration, the last census in 2011 counted 1,706 tigers which only 530 are counted reliably by photographic trap. India alone has half the world's tigers number.
Current threats
India has 1.3 billion people, the population may have doubled in 2050 with an average density of 330 inhabitants per km ², the reduction of tiger habitat here is glaring
This invasive population increases conflicts of interest between man and tiger, particularly in the peripheral areas of tiger reserves where development of tourism attracts more and more workers! 200 to 300 people are killed every year by tigers and livestock has become a favorite prey of big cats protected, it is not surprising in this context that the victims of these attacks seek to eliminate tigers "guilty".
The most telling illustration of this phenomenon is the case of the Sundarbans where human presence has become such that the usual prey of tigers have almost all disappeared and tigers become man eaters.
Despite the ban on tiger trade in China since 1993, poachers networks are increasing, poaching for the Chinese pharmacopoeia is present even in the most prestigious reserves. In 2005, the park Sariska lost all its tigers and in 2007 it was the turn of the Panna. Every year police seized about fifty dead tiger poaching, what about the actual figure? Given these failures, shooting poachers on sight by guards reserve has been approved!
Tiger tourism
Around some of the tiger reserves, has developed a tourism-oriented observation of these rare felines.
This tourism helps to educate and raise awareness about the preservation of animal species at the same time it brings a certain development level of local life! Children who previously had no other choice but to work in the fields, now go to school because their parents enjoy the windfall of tourism.
The presence of tourists in tiger parks increases monitoring cats and reduces poaching
This tourism framed by the park authorities is not a source of disturbance for the tigers, we must keep in mind that tourists stay on the tracks, Tourists are in the park only during 6 hours of daylight while tigers are nocturnal and crepuscular and tigers still retain the ability to escape the sight of tourists!
Work protection associations
Local associations are created to be as close to the ground,
The association raises funds to improve the protection of cats, it has already:
- Compensation for loss of livestock killed by tigers,
- Improving equipment Warden (Clothing, radios, vehicles)
- The introduction of a bonus system for the guards more engaged,
- The payment of money to the families who have lost one of their own killed by tigers
- Travel Assistance villages located in the reserve (purchase of a tractor)
- Assistance to care for the poorest people (purchase of an ambulance and implementation of a drainage system)
- Awareness of the poorest tiger conservation (Buy 2 jeeps to take the kids to visit the park for free)
- The supply of energy in substitution to the collection timber in a protected area (implementation of a system for distributing natural gas),
Poaching remains the ultimate threat against tigers and can not be solve at the level of governments. Is an agreement between India and China possible? Will China have a strong political to eradicate the trade in tiger?
from 8 subspecies of tiger, three are extinct
Tigers protection in India
In the early 20th century the indian population was estimated at 50,000 tigers then in 1972 it was only 1800!
Following this finding, in 1973 under the management of Indira Gandhi Project Tiger was launched: New reserves representing 13 000 km ² are created, business rules are implemented. For project organization WWF gives $ 1 million.
The population of tigers in reserves is recognized by government parks and it seems to increase, going from 1200 to 3500 tigers. However Indian naturalists dispute these figures, and in 2005, under their pressure, an independent committee of park authorities is created, it's the "National Tiger Conservation Authority"
In 2008, the population of tigers is then revalued to 1411, after which the Indian government injects 8 million dollars in a campaign of awareness and protection
Currently, there are 42 "Tiger Reserve" representing 53,547 km ² and 8 other reserves are under consideration, the last census in 2011 counted 1,706 tigers which only 530 are counted reliably by photographic trap. India alone has half the world's tigers number.
Current threats
India has 1.3 billion people, the population may have doubled in 2050 with an average density of 330 inhabitants per km ², the reduction of tiger habitat here is glaring
This invasive population increases conflicts of interest between man and tiger, particularly in the peripheral areas of tiger reserves where development of tourism attracts more and more workers! 200 to 300 people are killed every year by tigers and livestock has become a favorite prey of big cats protected, it is not surprising in this context that the victims of these attacks seek to eliminate tigers "guilty".
The most telling illustration of this phenomenon is the case of the Sundarbans where human presence has become such that the usual prey of tigers have almost all disappeared and tigers become man eaters.
Despite the ban on tiger trade in China since 1993, poachers networks are increasing, poaching for the Chinese pharmacopoeia is present even in the most prestigious reserves. In 2005, the park Sariska lost all its tigers and in 2007 it was the turn of the Panna. Every year police seized about fifty dead tiger poaching, what about the actual figure? Given these failures, shooting poachers on sight by guards reserve has been approved!
Tiger tourism
Around some of the tiger reserves, has developed a tourism-oriented observation of these rare felines.
This tourism helps to educate and raise awareness about the preservation of animal species at the same time it brings a certain development level of local life! Children who previously had no other choice but to work in the fields, now go to school because their parents enjoy the windfall of tourism.
The presence of tourists in tiger parks increases monitoring cats and reduces poaching
This tourism framed by the park authorities is not a source of disturbance for the tigers, we must keep in mind that tourists stay on the tracks, Tourists are in the park only during 6 hours of daylight while tigers are nocturnal and crepuscular and tigers still retain the ability to escape the sight of tourists!
Work protection associations
Local associations are created to be as close to the ground,
The association raises funds to improve the protection of cats, it has already:
- Compensation for loss of livestock killed by tigers,
- Improving equipment Warden (Clothing, radios, vehicles)
- The introduction of a bonus system for the guards more engaged,
- The payment of money to the families who have lost one of their own killed by tigers
- Travel Assistance villages located in the reserve (purchase of a tractor)
- Assistance to care for the poorest people (purchase of an ambulance and implementation of a drainage system)
- Awareness of the poorest tiger conservation (Buy 2 jeeps to take the kids to visit the park for free)
- The supply of energy in substitution to the collection timber in a protected area (implementation of a system for distributing natural gas),
Poaching remains the ultimate threat against tigers and can not be solve at the level of governments. Is an agreement between India and China possible? Will China have a strong political to eradicate the trade in tiger?
