Precluding a Planet
without Panthera Tigris
As I take the 3-hour boat
ride in the brackish waters of Sundarbans creek from Basanti, South 24 Parganas
with a keen desire to have a view of the great Royal Bengal tiger, the national
animal, in its habitat, I am aware of the saying: ‘while you may not be able to
see, you are being seen all the time’. You feel safe as you are far away
from any direct contact with the mighty forest king. The darsan of the
charming fellow planet dweller, is not easily granted, it may take several days
or several trips. I decide to take the less adventurous path, and reach out to
Nandankaanan in Bhubaneswar, where the darsan is almost sure, though in
captivity of some 437 ha, with the deceptive appearance of the wild. And I am blessed with one of a white tiger, a
pre-Adiga[1] one.
Some Feline Facts
Tiger is the
largest living cat species and is symbolic of the beauty, majesty and power of
nature. It is identifiable by the dark vertical stripes on its orange skin and
white underside.
The tiger has been found adapted to a range of environments from the
cold Siberian taiga, reaching
to −40 °C to the Sundarbans mangrove swamps where Mercury climbs to 40 °C.
The big cats remain in
the forest eco-systems at the top of the food chain. The different genus
under the sub-species of Felidae of big cats are: Tiger (Panthera
tigris), Lion (Panthera leo), Jaguar (Panthera onca), Leopard
(Panthera pardus), Snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and under the
sub-species of Felinae are: Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
and Puma (Puma concolor).
The largest among the
tiger species is Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica),
males growing up to 13 feet and weighing some 300 kilograms. The smallest
among the lot is Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), with males 7
to 8 feet in length and about 140 kilograms in weight. The most common among
the tigers are the Indian or Bengal tigers, with the males attaining a body
length around 9 to 10 feet including a tail above 75 cms, and weighing above
200 kilograms, though exceptionally bigger ones have been found.
They sleep by day, and move around and hunt at night. These mighty forest
giants are versatile creatures that can attain a speed of 50 to 80 kms per hour
on the land, and can swim, and if needed climb a tree (though younger ones are
found to be more adept at it).
Family of Loners Tigers generally live solitary lives, on rare occasions,
coming together. The family units are seen attached to the mother, and
even tending to pitch their solitary adult life closer to her. As a norm,
each of them keeps to a territory within which they manage their needs for food
and water, while maintaining necessary contacts with each other. An adult male
tiger requires 40 to 65 sq. kilometres to survive, but many are now forced to
manage with limited forest cover, at times, leading them into conflict with the
humans, peaking with man-eater episodes. They prefer to prey on large ungulates
like deer or buffaloes or wild boars or even fish as their prey, while having an
out-of-the-way interest in porcupines, in spite of the threat from their quills,
is observed.
World Tiger Day - Protecting the Predator turned Prey
July 29 is celebrated
as International Tiger Day since 2010. It reminds the world nations that
tiger as the apex predator is the indicator of the health of ecosystem.
When Prince Philip
visited India with Elizabeth II in 1961, a trophy hunting was organised and a
tiger was killed, which was reckoned as a feat becoming the royals. That was
pre-project tiger times. Since then, India witnessed the major government
initiative by name 'project tiger' (April 1, 1973), with focus on conservation
of eco-systems. It guaranteed the survival of the apex species and has
led to a revival of the mighty cat. In a matter of less than 5 decades
the physically fragile human species had managed to decimate the mighty cats
from over 40000 in the early decades of 20th century (according hunter turned
conservationist E.P. Gee) to less than 2000 by 1970. The 'fragile human
predator' could inflict greater casualty on the physically 'mighty forest
leaders', on a much more devastating scale than the killer corona virus could
do against the weakling anthropos. This is a typical example
of the destructive power and presence of the human species on the planet.
IUCN (International
Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed tigers as endangered, in its
nine-category sequence (Not
Evaluated, Data Deficient, Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable,
Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild, Extinct).
Values of
Conservation
Project tiger and other
tiger conservation efforts have led to, our values of chivalry,
self-discipline, spiritual powers etc. around wild life, taking a 180 degree
turn around in the past few decades, indicating a transformative growth in
environmental consciousness. What used to be an imperial sport is now a
cognizable crime; tiger skin, which used to be the seat for yogis and god-men,
is now not to be sought, nor to be possessed, and humans, at least in
principle, agree that presence of tigers indicate also that the environment is
healthy for all others including themselves.
In 1947, it was
estimated that India had just about 1800 tigers all over the country.
Today, after 50 years of project tiger, India boasts to have over 3000 tigers,
and unofficially, claiming over 4000.
Conservation efforts
that began by declaring 9 sanctuaries covering ca.13000 plus square kilometres
have expanded in 50 years into a large network of protected areas spreading over
75000 sq. kilometres in 18 states, 2.3% of Indian territory. Today India
is a leader in conservation practices, and a proud protector of 70% of the
world tiger population.
Tiger Day is the celebration
of life and its diversity by an enlightened generation of human species.
It speaks about the importance of forms of life other than humans for healthy
living and survival of species, including the humans. The very beauty and
majesty of the tiger is the indicator of the power and vitality of nature,
something in itself, worth celebrating. Like the poet William Blake, such is the manifestation of power and beauty, that one is easily taken beyond the mundane to wonder:
Conservation
Challenges
The challenge lies in
how to harmonise the irrepressible human urge for progress with the survival of
other species. The intelligent humans have to find rational and sustainable
solutions to this vital issue, especially as humans become the victims when
conflicts with the wildlife under conservation emerge in human habitats on the
forest fringes.
In the hay
days of tiger hunting, it generated ample literature, narrating the adventure,
and guiding the humans as to how to effectively undertake 'the perfect
masculine sport'. Thus, we have, Tiger Shooting in India (1857), by Lieutenant William
Rice, The Wild Sports of India (1857) by Bengal Army Captain
Henry Shakespeare, the two-volume India and Tiger-Hunting (1885)
by Colonel Julius Barras, and Forty
Years Among Wild Animals in India (1910)
by F. C. Hicks, with systematic theorizing of tiger-hunts. First signs of conservation attempts can be
seen in the campaign by entomologist E. P. Stebbing, through magazines
like Bombay Natural History Journal, for elaborate game-protection
laws, and licensing. W. S. Burke’s The Indian Field Shikar Book (1920) compiled
the game laws in every Indian province in its appendix.
Today,
the literature demanded is that of creatively conserving the species, balancing
the same with human progress. The Ministry for the Future
(2020) by Kim Stanley Robinson exuding great optimism and an integral vision
about future course of human action, I feel, is in the right direction.
India has witnessed the
extinction of Asiatic Cheetah, the apex species in the regions around Punjab, from
its terrains by 1940s, and efforts to reintroduce them from Africa (Namibia)
are on, with mixed reactions from scientific community and conservationists.
A much more vibrant effort is happening in Patagonia (Argentina - Chile) to
revive Puma populations, the apex species in that region (earthrise series
of Al Jazeera[2]).
Tiger conservation implies eco-system conservation and care for bio-diversity. It requires also collaboration among people, among regions, and as in this case, among nations. Ideally, Bengal tiger protection would require collective efforts on the part of India (and the different regions within it), Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and even China (Tibet), which is an indicator of the direction to which a sustainable world should move - of partnership and collaboration for sustaining life on the planet.
As I conclude these
‘tiger thoughts’ I am inspired by the religious icon of Swami Ayyappan, riding
a tigress, one of the most popular deities for the South Indians, with millions
visiting his abode in the deep tropical evergreen forests of Sabarimala of
Western Ghats. He symbolises how the humans should live and the direction in
which they should grow – living in the depth of the forest and letting the forest
be, and living in a harmonious coexistence with the king of the forest, the
mighty tiger(s). There is no threat to each other.
I also recall how the
wildlife photographer, N.A. Naseer, in his autobiographical reflections,
narrates his encounter with the mighty tiger: there is no animosity or threat
to each other. The mighty creature is
sure of no-harm from the co-existence occupying what is otherwise his space,
they assess each other, and accept each other.
And he willingly gives in for a memorable shot. There is a spirituality
of mutuality of the planet dwellers, which Naseer’s narration in “Reaching out
and Touching the Forest” (Kaadine Chennu Thotumbol, 2019) carries, which
is the direction such observances should take us to – a spirituality of earth
family – vasudhaiva kutumbakam.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Tiger_Day> May 20, 2023
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Tiger> May 20, 2023
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_tiger> May 20, 2023
<https://www.britannica.com/animal/Bengal-tiger> May 22, 2023
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