Titles gone, but what about the tigers?
The latest tiger census in India reports that the tiger population in the country has risen from 1411 to 1706. While the country is rejoicing the rising figures, one state that seems to have been left out of all the festivities is Madhya Pradesh. The state that boasted of highest number of tigers till 2006 has now lost its prestigious “Tiger State” tag to Karnataka owing to the decrease in population of the animal in the state.
According to the 2006 survey MP had 300 tigers in the state but the recent study shows a dip in the number to 257 and the decrease is mainly due to poaching that has resulted in killing of as many as 57 tigers in Panna Tiger Reserve.
Even the famous Kanha tiger reserve has lost 25 Tigers since the last census. While forest officials in MP have been struggling to keep the numbers up, Karnataka meanwhile has shown a rise in tiger numbers taking its count presently to 300.
The state of MP though is not much pleased with the title of Tiger State going to another state in India. The people in charge are doing what they can do best, cribbing and complaining about the lost title when the concern should be on the lost number of the beast.
Says principal chief conservator (wildlife) HS Pabla of the state “I am of view that the tiger population was more than what has come out in the latest big cat census given that we too have an internal mechanism to monitor striped animals. Something has gone amiss. We have sent a letter requesting the WII to check their data base.”
He makes his point by proving that there are more tiger beats in the state than in 2006. Tiger beats are areas having the big cats or locations which are marked as their territories. He says that compared to 2006 when there were 424 beats the number has raised to 495 now.
“The latest census report that the tiger population has gone down in Kanha too doesn’t appear to be correct as we send monthly reports to National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) on the number of tigers in the reserve,” Pabla said.
From conservation point of view, it is the tigers that should matter and not the title. A state can lose a title or two but India can’t lose its tigers.
– Atula Gupta
Related Stories:
i dont know how well is the conservation process going on in spite of such dwindling numbers. One of my acquaintance who recently visited corbett park was told by some staff that poaching is still possible if a reasonable amount is offered to them (like 5 lakhs for a tiger)… sounds terrible .
It does sound terrible Ankur and inside the forest there are so many loopholes and greedy officials who easily allow poaching. But we cannot be cynical all the time and therefore it is not the corrupt ones but the honest ones, this site wishes to highlight who have made sure that tigers still exist. Like the villagers in MP who refused to sell their land to a lime kiln owner so that they could save the tiger. It is those who make us keep our spirits alive and wokr to save our green treasures.
i have applied for a competiton . there a question comes . which state is known as tiger state . i have written karnataka . is it right
Hi Misha, As per the current census, Karnataka has the highest number of tigers presently in India greater than Madhya Pradesh. Therefore, Karnataka is the tiger state. Though that title was with MP for many years.
Hi, I am always fond of wildlife in india and want to make my curior to serve them but find it very difficult to do any thing.
Can you suggest how can become a part of saving tigers and wildlife.