The Realm of India's wild & endangered Bengal Tigers |
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------->Click here for the UPDATED site!<-------
Facts About the Tiger's
Predicament:
The tiger's territory used to range from Turkey to east
Asia. Now tigers are scarcely scattered in small patches.
Current estimates predict that at least one tiger is
poached everyday. Go to the "Tiger's current situation" for more detail, and
if you would like to help out, go to the "Get involved" link to the left.
One of the primary threats to the Bengal tiger is the destruction of its
habitat. This is due to a complete lack of political will on the part of the Indian
government to realize the importance of the tiger's situation and act accordingly. An
increasing population and economic liberalization has opened all areas to development including
tiger habitats across India which pollutes and destroys the land.
The second primary threat to tigers is their illegal poaching of them
for their bones, skins, teeth, nails among other parts. Tiger parts are used in Chinese
medicine. This contributes to at least one tiger death everyday in India.
When poachers and dealers are apprehended for killing tigers in India,
they are usually released on bail and re-offend. For this reason, tiger reserves, national
parks, and sanctuaries can no longer be considered as 'asylums' for the tiger.
Conservation staff are poorly trained and equipped. In some areas,
conservation staff are stranded at guard posts so they cover the the immediate region visible
to them instead of the entire park.
We have started an organization, Project Tiger-USA, Inc. which is a
non-profit site. ALL money raised will go toward the protection of wild tigers in the Melghat
Tiger Preserve in India. Information and maps are available in the 'Help the Tiger' link.
Since the occupation of India by the British, the Bengal
tiger's population has twindled to a mere < 5,000 from over 100,000 just a century ago.