Tiger-Tiger Everywhere!

Nowadays, Bhopal and Tiger have become synonyms; Tiger, the majestic animal which attracts everyone, whether they have interest in wildlife or not. Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, also attracts people from all over the world due to its Green Cover, Water Bodies, Mosques and Museums. However, the residents of the City of Lakes and the surrounding villages have the opportunity to see or at least hear about tigers through social media or electronic media or print media. It amazing that we can see tigers in the open forest, without incurring any cost, due to which many teenagers run to these forest areas to sight tigers. But we have already incurred a heavy cost to see these tigers in the villages and in the outskirts of Bhopal in the form of Illegal Mining, Deforestation, Encroachments and various other manners. We are incurring these costs from decades and without thinking about the benefits. We are more concerned about short-term profits rather than the long-term impacts. Nothing can survive for long time if they ignore long-term impacts, especially on Environment, of which wildlife is a prime element. We talk about conservation, but are we implementing any material measures to save or at least reduce the impact. We cannot stop encroachments, Mining, Deforestation but at least we can try to define the range of each and every thing. We are around 120 crore in number and increasing.  We need food, shelter, job and these have to be provided to each & every citizen of country. However, is there any limit or law which is being properly implemented at each and every level to reduce the negative impacts on environment?  We have already disturbed the food chain as many of the species have gone extinct and many are at the risk of extinctions. We humans are at the top of the food chain but we should have knowledge that if food chain is adversely impacted, we will be the one who will have detrimental effects. We want to see tigers and other wild animals and for which we pay a huge amount. But when we talk about their conservation, many of them say this is not their scope of work. If a Tourist visiting National Park is not able to see Tiger then he/she may say it is their ‘Bad Luck’, but have they thought the reason?  Frequent visitors say that along with decrease in tiger sighting, the number of herbivores has also decreased and this is a matter of great concern.
       You all may be thinking that I started with Bhopal and tigers but diverted towards conservation and wildlife. The reason is, we, the residents of Bhopal, are getting information through various means that there are tigers in the forest areas near Bhopal. They are not causing any harm to the humans but are killing their livestock. They enter villages during night and kill their domestic animals. Areas around Kerwa & Kaliasot are home to tigers and they have been living there for many years. There are news articles about tiger with their hunt in these areas. Existence of Tiger in these areas is not new.  What should concern us is the fact that they are running towards villages for their kill. Whether the number of Herbivores has decreased or forest area has decreased to provide territory to each tiger and their prey, so the tiger which cannot have territory in forest is moving towards villages. Something is missing in the forest and it is the matter of concern.
          Current news in the print media have indicated that tigers residing near villages have become habitual in killing livestock as their prey and they are entering into villages after sunset, which may be an alarming sign. The terror of the wild cat is gradually waning in human beings, which is not a good sign. It may result into wild-animal conflict in which one have to lose his life and this may have long-term impact on both the species. There are more than 2 tigers and if they are male there may be territorial fights and the Tiger which looses may have wounds or may lose his canines and then there are chances that it will result in Killing of Human Being. It is quite likely that tribal people entering forest for firewood or grazing of get attacked by Tiger. There are chances that Tiger may attack humans bending towards earth considering it an Animal. There are chances that a Tiger accidently killing a human gets identified as a Man-Eater. A recent incident occurred in the Satpura Tiger Reserve. Similarly a leopard entering a Village near Gurugram recently was brutally killed by the villagers. In another incident, a leopard was burnt alive by the villagers in the Southern part of the country. We Have to stop this and we have to make people aware about the importance of Wild Life & Forest.
      We have to provide space and food to both these species. There should be proper management of wildlife and laws in force should be properly implemented at ground level. Efforts should be directed towards reducing or stopping conflict between man-animal. Proper management should be there for conservation of grasslands so that number of Herbivores may increase; as a result of which Carnivores & Omnivores do not have to come in cities and villages for their prey. The number of water bodies should be increased and they should be properly secured from hunters. There is a need of Sustainable Development. Time have come when all the Government Agencies, NGO, Educational Institutions & Individuals should work in collaboration for conservation of Forest and Environment. It is NOT the duty of any Specific Organization, as we all take all our resources from environment.

Sanidhya Pastore

28 November 2016