Why Save Tiger?

Many would have heard about the slogan - Save Tiger. Few would have conducted or participated in campaigns for the same. Do we really know what does "Save Tiger" mean? Do we really know "Why to save tiger"? Have we ever wondered "What is the role of a tiger in my daily routine"? or "How to save tiger"?

Sadly, very few understand the real meaning of "Save Tiger". Usually, campaigns are conducted to gather public attention so that they become curious and try to know what's happening. Most of the time, people think that, 'Tigers are critically endangered, about to die, someone who loves tigers are collecting money to save it'. "Save Tiger" has become a business brand and is misused many times.

What do I understand about "Save Tiger"?

In India, Tiger is the national animal. It is also considered an animal on the top of the food chain. Lions can't be considered here because they are contained only to a small portion of Indian jungle. A healthy tiger needs approximately 50-60Kg of meat for every sitting. That means, a tiger need one average sized animal like a chital or sambhar deer every week. This approximates to 50 prey animals as food, per year for a single tiger. So there comes the formula - If a tiger is surviving in a jungle, it means, there are large prey animals surviving as well, and so smaller animals that are dependant on these as well surviving. This indicates that the forest is living. If the forest is good, that would mean the natural resources we get from forest is also secured - like, the oxygen, the water from the rivers and streams, the fruits, the medicines, etc. And so, Tiger is actually a measuring unit of the health of a forest. Hence, save tiger to save forest, as we humans are dependant on forests.

The formula is:

Tiger is good = plenty of prey = plenty of trees & plants = forest is good = natural resources (water/oxygen) supply is good = healthy life for humans.

What is the role of a tiger in my daily routine? Technology is getting advanced and sophisticated day by day and its going beyond imaginations. However, even now humans need basic things like - fresh oxygen to breathe, someone to take back the carbon-di-oxide that humans breathe out, unpolluted water to drink, food like fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc., to eat and medicines to fight diseases. Unfortunately, very few new generation humans realise this as our basic need, unlike most of us who thinks a smart phone & unlimited Internet are our basic needs. To lead a healthy life, humans are dependant on healthy forest. Health of the forest is measured by tiger population. If am still healthy today, that means there is still some forest land left out.

Now, how to save tiger? As a common man, who is employed in a corporate company, paying EMI, living in a metro city, what can I do to "save tiger"?

Tigers are critically endangered and the major threats they face are poaching and loss of habitat. I am sure, most of us won't be involved in poaching, or even using fancy stuff made of tiger skin - at least, I haven't seen one till now. But, habitat loss is a major problem which we can try resolving. Habitat loss is an indirect problem - we are not directly taking away the land of tigers for building or buying our apartments, but forest land is shrinking to satisfy our development needs. Of course development is important, but not at the cost of natural resources.

What all lead to development? To meet enough and more than enough power supply needs, fuel resources needs like palm oil, food resources needs for agriculture, commercial logging needs for timber, etc., forest land is compromised. This play a major role in habitat loss of tigers.

Tigers need vast land to roam around - they cover a wider range of forest. All the currently available tiger habitats are fragmented. There is no "deep inside the jungle" concept now. Indian forests are only as deep as if you go deeper, you will reach another village or a town. This restrict tigers into a smaller area, which in turn leads to not only conflicts within tigers but also sometimes with humans. A conflict with humans, usually happens in villages at the boundaries of forests leads to tiger taking away cattle and as a result villagers poisoning tigers.

Of course, many of these are in the hand of Government. That is not an excuse dear common man. Who chose the Government?!

So as a common man these are the things you can do to "Save Tiger", without any excuses:

• Use your resources frugally - be it electricity, water, food, or any other supplies. Do not waste or take it for granted. When less resources are utilised, the need for generating resources will reduce and hence the need for forest land may reduce.

• Buy only what you need - be it a T-Shirt or a pair of shoes or upgrade of mobile, do it only if you need it. This reduce the need of manufacturing which in turn reduce the pace of forest land taken for industrialisation. Reusing or recycling is the best way.

• Raise voice against development plans which affect forests directly or indirectly like land grabs for agriculture or other commercial needs, roads built cutting through the forests, etc.

• Spread awareness about the meaning of Save Tiger, which is actually nothing to do with tiger but humans, especially for the younger generation.

• Elect the right Government who supports nature, considers nature before opting development plans. Don't skip voting, ever!

• Understand and Educate people who live in the fringes of forests about importance of forests and wildlife.

• Stop local poaching - very few encourage bush meat, which is killing and eating chitals or sambhar which are the prime prey species of tigers.

Hope there is future for tigers, there be more forests and humans don't go extinct.