Save the Real Tiger

As an urban youth living a fairly advantageous life what does tiger mean to most of us? A question we need to ask ourselves if we are to protect nature’s magnificent treasury. Probably for youngsters in Kathmandu or Bharatpur tiger means a dangerous beast. We feared it in our zoo visits and still watch a documentary in National Geographic channel but we don’t know what benefits of conserving it are. Why would we care for its survival? Do we know what the plight of the tiger is? We don’t know that our future is in peril if we fail to save the tig

A Royal Bengal Tiger

er from extinction.

What is a real tiger like? We see tigers in films, documentaries, zoos, circuses and in posters. But there is a huge difference between a tiger we see and the real tiger. A real tiger is fighting for its survival. It is constantly running and eluding poachers, it is roaming in fear of entering into human settlements where it will be beaten to death for attacking people and livestock, it fears lack of its food and it worries that its home will soon end up as furniture in our drawing rooms. A real tiger bears unimaginable risk of ending up in the soup bowls of wealthy Chinese consumers and in rich Tibetan’s ceremonial attire.

Out of thirty seven feline species, eight large ones are facing endangerment and tiger is the one gravely lurking at the edge of extinction. At the beginning of twentieth century we were estimated 1.6 billion human beings on earth and there were one hundred thousand tigers. By the turn of the century, the earth is now home to 7 billion people, while only three thousand tigers are alive (three sub species are already extinct) confined to the isolated forest patches of Asia and Russia. Tigers are now only roaring in 7 percent of their historic habitat. Couple of year ago, head of the states from 13 tiger ranges countries and conservation agencies met in Russia’s St. Petersburg and committed to double the number of wild tigers. This was a monumental meeting as head of the states for the first time in world’s history convened to decide fate of any other species than humans. This speaks volumes about the importance of wild tiger and collective political commitment exhibited by range countries. Though the meeting in St. Petersburg and its declaration is a positive action its result is yet to be seen by next year of the tiger in 2022.

Imagine a world without tiger. Can you? I can’t. Having loved this handsome species for past seven years, a world without tiger is something next to dooms day for me. In fact if we lose tigers the dooms day won’t be that far. Our forests will not only be stripped off of its renowned wilderness but will also turn ecologically very fragile and brittle. Extinction of tiger will definitely beckon our extinction. Sooner or later we will vanish. A very bitter fact is there are more tigers in captivity in North America than in forests of Asia and Russian Far East. Where have the tigers gone? They were engulfed by our greed for space, cultivable land, timber, palm oil, oriental medicine and to the luxurious Royal hunts of “shree tins” and “shree panchs”. We have traded our existence with disappearance of many vital species and the irony of the fact is we are still continuing that with Panthera tigris. 

A tiger’s personality, color, vibrancy, courage and honesty represent people of Nepal. It is symbol of what we are. It’s not just about saving a charismatic animal. It is about ensuring that we live a little longer because our forests are known to provide ecological services like clean air, water, pollination, temperature regulation etc. Nepal’s effort to save tigers has always been well applauded by many big cat scientists. Nepal was and is still favorite research destination to many international conservation research agencies. We were open to Smithsonian long term tiger research project in early seventies when India refused to allow them operating in their forests. Books of Mel and Fiona Sunquist, Hemanta Mishra and Charles Mc Dougal have good account of what our national parks and wildlife field staffs did in early seventies to study tigers and bring out scientific facts about this magnificent cat.

Last week the world celebrated international tiger day in July 29^th. This is business as usual. We celebrate and forget. In my view this is a perfect day for Nepal’s urban youth, corporate sector and civil society to wake up and realize that failing to save the tiger will put our future at risk. With the new tiger census of 198 adult tigers released that day we have a baseline to start and increase it with our collective advocacy and right actions. Yes, the big question “What can we do?” Well the answer is – many things. Spread the message that Nepal is one of the only 13 countries that has wild tigers so that in public we will have a feeling that they are special and needs to be saved. When we use products imported from Malaysia or Indonesia make sure they have not cleared rain forest for production. By decreasing the demand for such products we save tiger homes. Condemn the wrong acts, loud your voice when agencies celebrate “zero” poaching year while the truth was something else. Talk with kids about wildlife and our forest so that we plant a seed for future brigade of defenders. Say no to “sukuti” in your parties they come from poached forest ungulates. Don’t devour on “bandel ko masu” those are meant for tigers. The next 10 years is crucial to save the wild tigers from extinction and let me tell you this is not like making constitution in Nepal we will not get a second chance.

Tracking the Tracks in Meghauli

"Always be attentive and keep track of things around you. Make sure you have cleaned your ears a day before you walk in the jungle. You should give your attention to every bit of sound thats strikes your ear. I repeat every single sound. It could be dried leaves falling from trees but chances are equal that it might be snake lurking down, a splash of water but it might be crocodile splashing in, from a distance it might sound like a monkey approaching but you never know if a rhinoceros emerges out from tall and dense elephant grass.Okay FINE!!, even if it is a rhinoceros don't panic. Stand still, watch properly but if its ears goes backwards (it is ready to charge), look for trees around, if nothing make your exit as soon as possible."  says Hom Bahadur Gurung of Radha Krishna Samudayik Ban in Meghauli.

This is his experience summarized in best possible way. What takes me to him is his work. His job description is my passion: walk in the forest, look after animal tracks, see if poachers have placed traps, see if tigers are using community forest, educate community to protect forest and wild life. Hom Dai is one of the Bagh Heralus (Tiger Rangers) of 9 community forests of Meghauli.  

As a wildlife enthusiast and precisely that of tropical and subtropical mega faunas it is obvious that Chitwan is my second home. Last week I was in the jungle with Hom Dai. Passing through the bushes and scanning for the tracks. Tiger tracks. It takes a lot of commitment, determination and will to do this every season, every day. Not all days are good days. Sometimes you are chased by rhinos and sometimes by wild elephants and all you have n your defense is a stick. And in worse case if anything happens to you your family will get nothing i.e. no life insurance. In monsoon it rains and when sun comes out its hot, humid and in such times you tend to think why am I here in the forest? Hom Dai and many dedicated tiger rangers of Chitwan know the answer that their efforts are protecting wildlife and forest.

We were at the start of our walk passed the Bhimle Post (Chitwan National Park) and its elephant camp and 10 yards in to the forest and Hom Dai says, "Yi, Sir Bagh ko Panja" (See Sir, its tiger track). It was of a huge male tiger. This tiger is named "Gaida Khauwa" (Rhino Eater) as it has been known to hunt and feed on rhino calves. It is never easy to hunt a rhino calf because it is under very protective and possessive mother. If a tiger has done so then it must be a really big one. 200 meters ahead we reached a Machan constructed by the community forest to view the jungle and wild animals. As we entered deep into the forest it reminded me of wildlife presenters in TV programs.

Deeper in the forest we arrived in a river stream, pure water, lotus, it was early morning stream a poetic display of nature it was. But from a researcher's eye it is a perfect habitat. Water, grass lands and hide outs for creatures. The spot was oozing with life around. Ratuwa Deer, Spotted Dear, Tiger pug marks, Wild Bore marks, were plenty on our way in the forest. We crossed couple of rivulets and again found the pug marks of Gaida Khauwa. It was clear the Radha Krishna Samudayik Ban had one resident male tiger. Community forestry in Nepal has helped regain the degraded habitat around national park and tiger colonizing these area is good indicator that the forest is healthy. Since we started bit late than we planned it was not possible to see the tiger. According to Hom Dai, Gaida Khauwa patrols this territory in the community forest during night as it has zero human entrance and crosses Rapti early in the morning to the national park which is safer during the day time.

The walk in the jungle for me is my class room and people like Hom Dai are my professors. My class went on for four hours in the field. Learning to see tracks, identifying the animal and repeating the same thing. I was never tired, always scanning the ground for marks. For four hours I forget that a different world exists outside. I would have spent my whole day doing the same thing because I know am ready to spent my entire life doing the same thing.