It is a matter of great concern that the big cats are in trouble as the poachers make heavy weather of the presence of tigers in India. The count of 540 tigers from the poachers in the last 15 years and some unaccounted number would have been added to the list and the numbers may even cross 550 and more. It is time to protect tigers from dying. To check poaching, the Gujarat Government has decided to keep a check on vehicles entering the Gir Reserve and a close watch on activities and movement of labourers entering from other states. Some of the tigers fall in open wells and elaborate arrangements are being made to cover 9000 odd wells. Forest patrolling has to be intensified to curtail poaching.
Nickhil Mani
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
