Tiger Conservation in Kerala inches forward

Online, September 17, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Like the many organizations and individuals all over the world, Karma Kerala too is anxious to see that the tiger population in the wild jumps back to a respectable figure. To ensure that this majestic beast survives forever, a slew of conservation measures are being initiated by the wild life department of Kerala. Voluntary organizations and wild life enthusiasts can also get involved in this noble venture by doing whatever they can to ensure that the pride of our nation- our national animal- does not become extinct in a matter of a few months!

The situation is indeed alarming as there are only roughly 3000 wild tigers in the wild. Poaching and loss of habitat has been cited as the biggest threats in tiger conservation. Though it would have meant a loss of revenue, Kerala government took a bold step to temporarily suspend the eco-tourism projects of Tiger Trail and Jungle Patrol for a while while it sought the clarification from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to know whether these projects are in violation of the conservation laws. However these were reintroduced after it got a nod from NTCA . The bold initiative of Kerala should be a trend setter to other states as well as only a collective approach could bring in the desired results.

Tiger trail and Jungle Patrol are conducted by a team of poachers-turned-protectors of the forests who know the forest terrain like the back of their hands. In this project, the tourists are allowed only to patrol with forest guards the fringes of the sanctuary and not inside the deep jungles where the reclusive tigers live.

As everyone awaits with bated breath, the future of tiger continues to be precarious and on the edge. Let us hope for the best and hope that unlike the many tourism projects that lose their steam after the initial enthusiasm, tiger conservation goes on till the desired results are obtained.