NTCA to come up with tiger magazine

Wednesday, November 26, 2008 6:37:00 PM
PTI

NEW DELHI: Keen to create awareness about conservation and protection of endangered Royal Bengal big cats, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has planned to publish its magazine exclusively devoted to the species.

“It would be a bi-monthly journal highlighting new initiatives of the Authority, important decisions taken relating to tiger conservation, tiger estimation/monitoring updates and poaching figures and anti-poaching operations,” Rajesh Gopal, NTCA member secretary said.

The Authority is yet to decide on the name of the magazine which would also dwell on sensitive issues such as man-animal conflicts, eco-tourism initiatives and eliciting public support and peoples participation.

“Without community participation, wildlife cannot be saved. Hence the magazine will serve as a bridge between the readers and authorities highlighting the steps being taken to make the conservation more community oriented,” Gopal added.

People too can send their suggestions as well points out gaps in our conservation steps so that corrective measures can be taken, he said while pointing that the journal, being a government document, cannont be compared with those published by the NGOs.

Tiger, being umbrella species in the ecology, has been high on the government agenda which has been taking several measures to save it from extinction.

As per the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) estimate there are only 1,400 tigers left in the country.

The NTCA was formed with an objective to preserve and conserve the animals by creating special reserves devoid of human interference.

There are more than 30 tiger reserves in the country and human settlements are being relocated in lieu of compensation to boost the population of big cats.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1209558