Will the Sariska poachers get into action yet again?
Tiger lovers all over the world mourned the death of tigers poached in Sariska. Being one of the most important tiger reserves in India, it was assumed that the reserve was a safe haven, where tiger population would be in presentable numbers. Zero-tiger statistic was unthinkable. But it happened. There was hardly any trace of a living or a dead tiger. From tiger skin, nails, meat, testicles, bones to teeth, there were no mortal remains spared of the national animal. The Sariska poaching scandal has exposed the fact that tiger reserves are not as impermeable, as assumed.
Now, when the tigers are being re-introduced, the uncomfortable feeling still looms around. It is well known that the risk of poaching is still existent. Sariska is not 100% immune to poachers. There is no guarantee that these tigers, once released from their enclosure, will not be poached. Animal lovers and wildlife activists are very sceptical about the tiger’s safety and welfare in Sariska. While the world is watching the relocation with excitement, animal lovers are not able to discount the risk involved. Nobody will be able to tolerate another incident of poaching.
There does exist a Safety Plan for the New Tigers in Sariska
The relocated tiger will have radio-collar around their necks. These collars contain transmitters that send out information in short pulses, which will be picked up by a satellite, which in turn will transmit this data to dedicated centres for data processing. This earmarked satellite is being operated by Argos System, supported by NASA, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (USA), and the French Space Agency - CNES. It is estimated that the data results can be accessed and retrieved from anywhere in the world, within 20 minutes of transmission. It is assumed that this tracking will help study the tiger’s response to its new surroundings and will hopefully be a deterrent to the poachers.
Round the clock monitoring the newly set up watch towers, after the tigers are introduced. The National Tiger Conservation Authority is proactive in warning all the tiger reserves about the pre-monsoon pitfalls – a period best known for poaching.
Yet - unknown factors rest for time to unravel
- How can the tigers be introduced when the poaching menace has not been addressed? Once free, the tiger’s life is at stake.
- How big is the enclosure area? There seems to be a divided opinion and different data from different sources. When a tiger goes around, it covers few kilometres in one stretch. Has this aspect of tiger trail been considered?
- Will the tigers adapt to this new environment?
- There is a busy national highway along the Sariska Tiger Reserve. Will this not interfere with the forest life?
- There is a temple in Sariska that attracts more than 200,000 pilgrims a year. Will this situational risk continue?
- Why are the forest officials risking the tiger’s health and life by reducing them to being guinea pigs for this relocation exercise? Was there not a better solution of rejuvenating Sariska?
- The highway that transverse through the reserve poses danger and threat to the Sariska wildlife. Why is this aspect not treated as a priority?
June, 2008: One tiger relocated to Sariska, with a hope that it will survive in the new environs and pave way for two more tigers to join and flourish there.
July, 2008: A tigress was transported to Sariska in the same fashion. The first round of the tiger re-introduction exercise is over.
It is just a start though. A welcome start. An experiment that has a lot at stake. For, where the tiger reigns, one finds the perfect natural balance. A balance that is vital for the safe keep of the eco-system, a balance that would make the forests get closer to what it was meant to be. A lot depends on the Sariska experiment. Right now, we can only just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.
