Tiger poaching: Then and now

BANGALORE: 'Life is a short flight, So breathe light, Undo the scent of the game and fly, even when the wings are torn' - the concluding lines of the book, Scent of a Game, sum it up. Human beings need to develop compassion for nature in general and wildlife in particular.

Raghav Chandra, additional secretary and financial adviser of Central Ministry of Agriculture, looks at tiger hunting and poaching from an outsider's point of view. As an IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, he was posted around several national parks. This sparked Chandra's interest in wildlife and the sensitive issue of tiger poaching.

Chandra, who has degrees from Delhi University and Harvard University, had closely observed and been moved by the conflicts that critically endangered India's ecosystem and wildlife. "Tiger poaching was rampant between 2005 and 2008. It was the time when the President set up a task force to curtail the practice. Those were disturbing times and India lost many a tiger to hunters," said Chandra. "Though tiger poaching has come down now, more conservation efforts need to be put in as 'presidents require special protection'," Chandra added, referring to tigers.

Tiger poachers were in abundance

Around 2006, tiger poachers were plentiful in Madhya Pradesh and the death toll was, quite shockingly, a 'tiger-a-day'.

Although the rate has come down, according to Chandra, "Conservation efforts need to go beyond the call of duty." He says the only way to protect wildlife is through individuals and government agencies joining hands. "All stakeholders must come together to participate in conservation efforts," he adds.