Tigers, some good news!

[GraemeVW]

Just heard this on the radio.
Life has been pretty rubbish for the last few years, today was a tough day. Slso sick of the constant drain of media negativity, but this story cheered me up! Tiger numbers in India are increasing quite dramatically! Seems humans can get things right (or at least stop such dramatic wrongs) if they really try.

Tiger conservation success in 2023 | ZSL

Record-breaking numbers of Bengal tigers in India have been announced by the country’s latest tiger census with over 3100 tigers now in the country – double the number living there less than 20 years ago.

www.zsl.org

I remember searching for tigers in my very early 20s with my girlfriend at the time. Then having a sudden realisation that things may get quite bad quite quickly if we found one and spent the rest of the afternoon actively trying NOT to find tigers

Had the exact same scenario trying to find a rogue killer elephant too. Luckily, only found a troupe of menacing monkeys.

 

[Ubique]

The problem is that India is over-populated so the incidence of Tiger:Human interface is increasing, which will only endanger the Tigers again...

 

[GraemeVW]

The problem is that India is over-populated so the incidence of Tiger:Human interface is increasing, which will only endanger the Tigers again...

Yep. Was a big part of the problem to start with.
Still, increasing numbers, at a decent rate, is encouraging.

I assume india still has VAST areas with pretty much no people, just not really in tiger areas.

Was 25 years ago I was there though so probably changed alot in that time.

 

[Ubique]

It's not my area of knowledge, however, I'd say that anything more than linear growth in population would be a bad thing as the contest for hunting areas within the tiger population would inevitably lead to some casualties from 'Tiger on Tiger' and some 'defensive' casualties as the humans react to the Tigers moving into their patch...

On a side note, we watched what was believed to be a Caspian Tiger in the Panjshir Valley in 2001 for an hour or so through spotting scopes. generally thought to be extinct since the 1970's (Russians wanted the skins of an already scarce animal) and officially declared no more in 2003. I often wondered if it was a Caspian or a Bengal, whichever it was, it was a special memory amongst everything else that was going on!.

 

[JEZGUZ]

There's always some ugly bitch somewhere that thinks wearing the skin of of an exotic animal will make them more attractive. I see nothing wrong with leather by the way as it's a by-product of the meat trade.

 

[GraemeVW]

It's not my area of knowledge, however, I'd say that anything more than linear growth in population would be a bad thing as the contest for hunting areas within the tiger population would inevitably lead to some casualties from 'Tiger on Tiger' and some 'defensive' casualties as the humans react to the Tigers moving into their patch...

On a side note, we watched what was believed to be a Caspian Tiger in the Panjshir Valley in 2001 for an hour or so through spotting scopes. generally thought to be extinct since the 1970's (Russians wanted the skins of an already scarce animal) and officially declared no more in 2003. I often wondered if it was a Caspian or a Bengal, whichever it was, it was a special memory amongst everything else that was going on!.

Must have been amazing to watch!

 

[Ubique]

Yep, it was - all the more because it wasn't expected! one of the lads got some photos, i'll see if I can find a copy. We did send date & location with a couple of photos to the British Zoological Society (now known as ZSL as it sounds less 'Imperial') via the Embassy in Kabul but heard nothing back, TBH, we did get quite busy and mail took some time to catch up...

 

[GraemeVW]

Yep, it was - all the more because it wasn't expected! one of the lads got some photos, i'll see if I can find a copy. We did send date & location with a couple of photos to the British Zoological Society (now known as ZSL as it sounds less 'Imperial') via the Embassy in Kabul but heard nothing back, TBH, we did get quite busy and mail took some time to catch up...

I'm assuming this was while on service? Going purely on the Afghanistan location.

I was just a stoned hippy kid wandering around the scrub in nature reserves
I knew there were tigers there, really wanted to see one, but got the sudden realisation of how it would go down if I eventually stuck my head in a bush that actually did have a tiger in it and got the fear!

If there had been any, they would have been watching me and I'd have been oblivious anyway.

 

[Ubique]

Yer, pretty much, I was a contractor, not Gov't employee.
I spent many years working around Africa & ME, one of the benefits was working around wildlife - not just the obvious Lions, Elephants, Rhinos, Giraffes, Hippo's etc but the Kudu, Eland, Hyena - even the Termite mounds and the ever-present (except when it was only mad dogs & Englishmen out in the mid-day sun) Cicadas.
My GrandFather was a gamekeeper and taught me the value of wildlife and the respect they deserve in life & death.

 

[RichardM]

On the good news part:

Chris Lewis and Jet have completed their walk, collecting a partner and new baby on route. I hope the future is good for all four.

 

[GraemeVW]

On the good news part:

Chris Lewis and Jet have completed their walk, collecting a partner and new baby on route. I hope the future is good for all four.

Somehow, this is something I know nothing about!
Just looked it up, I'll read some more, but good on him.

I try and pay no attention to the news, it's designed to depress/suppress. Means I miss some good stories too sometimes though.

 

[frank horton]

think there were twin cubs born to a Snow Leopard in Bristol Zoo......?
we just get a few angry or hungry insects.......

 

[minimutly]

Just heard this on the radio.
Life has been pretty rubbish for the last few years, today was a tough day. Slso sick of the constant drain of media negativity, but this story cheered me up! Tiger numbers in India are increasing quite dramatically! Seems humans can get things right (or at least stop such dramatic wrongs) if they really try.

Tiger conservation success in 2023 | ZSL

Record-breaking numbers of Bengal tigers in India have been announced by the country’s latest tiger census with over 3100 tigers now in the country – double the number living there less than 20 years ago.

www.zsl.org

I remember searching for tigers in my very early 20s with my girlfriend at the time. Then having a sudden realisation that things may get quite bad quite quickly if we found one and spent the rest of the afternoon actively trying NOT to find tigers

Had the exact same scenario trying to find a rogue killer elephant too. Luckily, only found a troupe of menacing monkeys.

I read a book I found whilst on holiday once, about tigers in India. Essentially it said that if you were out in the jungle, a Tiger saw you, and decided you were it's next meal that was it. If you couldn't shoot it, it would eat you...

 

[RWD3M]

The problem is that India is over-populated...

It's not just India!

 

[GraemeVW]

I read a book I found whilst on holiday once, about tigers in India. Essentially it said that if you were out in the jungle, a Tiger saw you, and decided you were it's next meal that was it. If you couldn't shoot it, it would eat you...

And you wouldn't see it coming! They attack from behind. I believe paddy field workers used to wear masks on the back of their heads so the tiger can't attack from behind.

Might be myth though.

 

[BarrieJ]

And you wouldn't see it coming! They attack from behind. I believe paddy field workers used to wear masks on the back of their heads so the tiger can't attack from behind.

Might be myth though.

Might be myth?
The Sundarbans a mangrove area in the delta formed by the confluence of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers in the Bay of Bengal was and indeed, still might be a notorious area for 'man' killing tigers (to be fair, I don't think they were too bothered about gender). Workers cutting fodder for cattle would wear masks on the back of their heads for the very reason you state. On more than one occasion tigers were bold enough to swim out to boats and attempt to climb aboard with fishermen beating a tiger off with an oar and machete.
Not a challenge I'd have welcomed.
Although written many years ago, Jim Corbett devoted a chapter of one of his many fine books on tigers to the Sundarbans.
I think the Sundarbans is now a national park but I've not checked.