The Great Driving Challenge

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09:41 AM

12 August 2009

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The last Tiger

Posted By bharath

Located barely 40 km from Khajuraho, Panna National Park is a popular detour for visitors from Khajuraho. Though the tiger population has nearly been wiped out due to poaching, it once had a healthy number (40 tigers).

Panna has an area covering 546 sq. miles with waterfalls and even the Rajgarh Palace that overlooks the valley. In March 2009 two female tigers were relocated from Bandhavgarh and Kanha National Parks and currently those are the only two tigers to be found in Panna. Plans have been approved to trans-locate more tigers in the future.

The tiger population has seen a steady decrease in numbers over the last decade across India. The main reason being government apathy towards what we consider our national animal. Inaccurate census method (using the pug marks to count tigers), not enough funds for anti-poaching squads and pressure from the human settlements around parks have been the main reasons for the decline. There has not been a review of how successful project tiger (started 1973) has been in recent years. Incorrect numbers as to the population of tigers over the years has led to places like Sariska and Panna no longer housing a population of tigers. Reintroducing them in areas where their population has been depleted is an on going project. Until and unless there is active government participation, with funds provided to the right departments to provide protection, it will only be a matter of time before the current population of 1500 tigers across India is wiped out completely.

Even without the presence of tigers, Panna has Sloth Bears, Chital, Chinchara, Sambar and a host of other animals apart for 200 recorded species of birds. The park is closed between July to end September and reopens for visitors only during October.
As we drove through Panna national park to get to Varanasi we were stunned by the beauty of the park. We found the park exceedingly lush from the monsoons; beautiful and green as we drove up the ghat and found the valley stunning. The thought that crossed my mind was that Panna is prefect Tiger country-with the rocky valley below and abundant water- I could almost imagine the magnificent cat lying in a shallow pool of water to get away from the heat. I remembered then that there were only two tigers left not native to Panna but reintroduced. In effect the Panna tiger had disappeared.

Must read: Valmik Thapar , Secret Life of Tigers.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) 12 August 2009	Brilliant pix ...keep it up and safe driving
Posted by Vamsee 12 August 2009	Bharath, Another thought-provoking article from you. When I was visiting Corbett earlier this year, I read an article about how they were able to educate the local tribes about tiger preservation. Corbett seems to be a good example of how a national park should be managed. The rest should probably learn from their success. looking forward to your posts on Khajuraho and Varanasi.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) 12 August 2009	Awesome as Always!!! keep the good work going
Posted by Dilip D'Souza 12 August 2009	I’ve always wondered, is this translocation/reintroduction of animals like the tiger a good idea? Does it work, i.e. are there cases where it has been known to work in the sense that the population gets regenerated? Besides, there was some news not long ago about how the two taken to Sariska were actually siblings. Whatare the implications for any population of the animals there? In any case and sadly, I can’t find any optimism about our tiger population. One of these years the last one will die. yours, dilip.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) 12 August 2009	Good post with another thought provoking subject. The reduction of tiger population in India is really a serious issue. Soon we may become a country with an extinct National Animal. I know all about it as I am from Alwar where Sariska is. I remember seeing tigers there in my childhood but now there are no tigers in Sariska due to poaching. Hope government does something before other tiger parks become like Sariska or Panna.
Posted by Imtiaz 12 August 2009	Guys a suggestion… if you have the option to auto approve comments switch that on. this way comments will add up on ur blog posts as and when they are made and people wouldn’t stop following your team just coz they are not being approved sooner…. at night when u do login to post etc. just remove the spam…. a tad more savvier I feel….
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) 12 August 2009	Nice thought Provoking article. Keep up good photos you guys have been taking.
Posted by Arvind Passey 12 August 2009	To add to an interesting blog entry on tigers: Tiger extinct in 61% of its habitat in Rajasthan Tiger extinct in 52% of its habitat in Jharkhand Tiger extinct in 53% of its habitat in Uttar Pradesh Tiger extinct in 30% of its habitat in Shivaliks
Posted by ram 12 August 2009	I could not spot a tiger in the photograph or even at jim corbett when i visited it 2 years back. Too sad, people do not honor nature.
Posted by Praveen 12 August 2009	Guyz.. pardon my ignorance… but wouldnt they need a MALE to get the population to increase?? Or are they just transplanting female tigers.. for the temporary amusement of tourists?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) 12 August 2009	Good to read one from you, Bharat, and the subject seems to be right up your street from what i can see from your Application and your website. Very thought provoking write-up. Government and public apathy are the cause for this ‘nature’s’ tragedy .
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