India holds over half the world's tiger population. The last all-India tiger census in 1993 estimated a total of 3,750 tigers. Despite its large resources, the Indian Government has so far been unable to check the clandestine trade in tiger bones and skins. There are excellent proposals on paper, but few effective measures have been put into action in the field. Existing tiger conservation efforts are simply not bringing positive results.
Drastic action is needed if the tiger is to be saved.
In the past few years, populations have plummeted dramatically in all its other range countries. Five of the eight original tiger sub-species in the world still survive, but all are threatened with extinction in the wild. Tiger Reserves now cover an area of 33,000 sq km but habitat loss and increase in poaching are taking their toll. If effective action is not taken immediately India's tigers might well vanish within the next five years. India will loose the greatest living symbol of our natural world and an animal deeply rooted in the nation's ancient culture.