Poaching is the most obvious threat to
the tiger and it is estimated that almost one tiger a day is being
killed in India alone to supply the illegal trade in skins and
medicines. However, even if poaching were to cease, the tigers'
problems would not go away overnight. In an age where human
populations are growing rapidly, habitat loss and the demise of
other species are more insidious threats. Naturally people must
have land to live and farm, but planning in many key areas is
woefully lacking, resulting in an increasingly smaller territory to
support wildlife. For the tiger population to remain healthy its
prey needs to be abundant too.
If the outlook appears bleak, there is hope. Just by travelling to
tiger reserves; paying entrance fees and supporting local
businesses, we are demonstrating that the tiger is a resource to be
conserved. Experience and research show that responsible tourism
can provide an invaluable platform to support and sustain parks,
wildlife conservancies, buffer zones and local communities. It can
also play an important role in poverty eradication.
We don't think however, that it is enough to demonstrate support by
just turning up: we need to be proactive, so rather than being
passive bystanders, we are working with our tour leaders, lodges
and drivers to ensure that best practice is always followed on
Explore tours. We will also be campaigning to ensure that local
people see the benefits from tourism they need to see the value in
conserving the tiger.
Taj, Tigers & Palaces - our family, tiger adventure.
www.toftiger.org