‘Tiger poaching is only getting accelerated’

‘Tiger poaching is only getting accelerated’

Express News Service
First Published : 21 Mar 2010 06:23:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 21 Mar 2010 08:32:57 AM IST

BANGALORE: The year 2009 saw the maximum number of tiger deaths in the country due to poaching, with the toll reaching 32. However, 16 tigers were killed so far this year, in less than even three months.

If the Chinese government legalised tiger trade, it would sound death knell for the wild cat species as they were poached due to the demand in China for making traditional Chinese medicine.

Belinda Wright of the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) made these observations at the Bangalore Press Club on Saturday at the screening of a documentary delving into the plight of the tiger. The Truth About Tigers is made by renowned conservationist and wildlife filmmaker Shekar Dattatri.

He said the film educated and delved into the complexities of the conservation of tigers in India. Ullas Karanth of Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Wright of WPSI and Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde were present during the screening.

Dattatri said that tiger conservation could not be the exclusive domain of the government and it was high time that the citizens got directly engaged in it. He declared that he was putting up a website (www.truthabouttigers.com), which would contain insights about tigers, their conservation and practical advice on what ordinary citizens could do help the cause.

Karanth said that strict monitoring, backed by a better habitat management and better governance was the key to saving tiger.

With the help of 500 cameras and assistance of Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, he hoped to arrive at the accurate number this time.

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