What is Project Tiger ?

Reasons for starting the Project Tiger Tiger Population trends in India Reasons for failure of Project Tiger Contributions of organizations in furthering Project Tiger Poem on tiger Folklore on tiger

Background
Indian tiger population at start of 20th century was estimated at 20,000 to 40,000 However, by 1995, Tiger population had shrunk to about 1,800

Project Tiger aims at Tiger conservation in Tiger Reserves

Wildlife conservation movement initiated in India in 1972 to protect Tigers Strives to maintain a viable tiger population in the natural environment Has support of World Wildlife Fund and Central Government

Project Tiger in Action

Tiger reserves were created in the country on a 'core-buffer' strategy. Freed from all sorts of human activities and the buffer areas were subjected to 'conservation oriented land use'. Management plans drawn up for each tiger reserve:
Elimination of human exploitation and biotic disturbance from the core area Monitoring the faunal and floral changes over time and carrying out research about wildlife.

Outcome
Increase in tiger population in the reserve areas, from a mere 268 in 9 reserves in 1972 to 1576 in 27 reserves in 2003. Apart from tigers, all other wild animals also have increased in number

Please see http://projecttiger.nic.in/

for more information

Why save Tigers

Tiger is symbol of wilderness and well-being of the ecosystem. By conserving and saving tigers the entire wilderness ecosystem is conserved. In nature, barring human beings, rest of the ecosystem is wild. So saving tiger amounts to saving the ecosystem which is crucial for man's own survival.

Depleting Tiger population

By early 1960s, over 3,000 tigers lost their lives to trophy hunters. In 1970s, depleting tiger population to around 1,800, shocked & jolted authorities to formulate an immediate plan

Corbett National Park was the first national park of India to be covered under Project Tiger on April 1st, 1973.
It provided a safe havens for tigers to flourish as a species Reverse the startling decline in their population.

India had 100,000+ tigers about a century ago, but due to poaching and shrinking natural habitat, population crashed Presently, there are around 3,000 tigers in the world -India accounts for over half of them. Current Population in India at 1,706 up from 1,411 in 2006

From 1827 tigers, 35years ago, population increased to 3500 in 1997 and then dwindled to 1706 tigers in 2010. Sariska, Panna lost all tigers. Where has Project Tiger failed?
Inadequate coordination Inadequate buffer zones Poaching continues

If these figures are to be believed, the project to save the big cat has been a big failure.

Global organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) contributed much funding to Project Tiger The Feline Conservation Center is part of a world-wide network of zoos and facilities dedicated to the preservation of endangered cats, acting as a modernday ark in the face of human overpopulation and mass extinction of animal species. are various credible organizations working towards the conservations of Tigers in India The government also contributed funding to project tiger Aircel contributed funding to project tiger

I know a tiger, And I continue to let it surprise me , But I am the predator, For expecting it to change Really how can a tiger, Apologize for its stripes , I put a tiger by my side, I liked the attention and imagery But despite all my hope, I know it will never be The kitten I tell people it is inside, Yes I know a tiger, And I cant blame it when it STRIKES It is ignorant, It cant comprehend and step outside , How long can I ignore, And let the tiger roam in my life? I know a tiger, And it will never know it is a tiger And that Is the problem!!

Once upon a time there lived a rich man Kim, who had a beautiful daughter named Ok-bun. Ok-bun became friend with a poor boy P'al-bong. Both of them were very close friends. As they got older, Ok-bun's father realized that they loved each other & wanted to get married. Kim decided to marry his daughter to Tol-swae, who was also a nobleman. Kim wanted to get her married quickly & arranged for the engagement and set an early wedding date. Both Ok-bun & P'al-bong felt very sad. On the wedding day when the bridegroom entered the bridal chamber, where Ok-bun was waiting for him, a tiger took away Ok-bun. The tiger dropped Ok-bun at P'al-bong's door. In the meantime, Tol-swae searched to look for Ok-bun. He thought she had surely been killed by the tiger. When everybody found Ok-bun then everyone nodded and said that it was the mountain spirit, San Shin, at his matchmaking again, and that no human should interfere. So a marriage between the two childhood sweethearts was arranged and they lived happily every after.