U.S. Government Participates at the Tiger summit in Russia

U.S. State Department's strong engagement at the Tiger summit.

Let me express my heartfelt gratitude to the U.S. Government for their participation at the tiger summit in Russia and take the next major step in in the process of protecting wild tigers.

I am thrilled to post here about the participation of the America Government in the tiger summit at Russia. In November, 2010 the Undersecretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero had joined the International Tiger Conservation Forum. The first summit of heads of state ever convened for the purpose of protecting wild tigers from extinction. Senator John Kerry and Congresswoman Madeline Bordallo have recently introduced resolutions in the U.S. Senate and House to support the goals agreed upon at the tiger summit held at Russia and to support the efforts of Asian countries not only to protect, but also to raise the current tiger populations.

An incredibly fewer number of only 3,200 tigers left in the wild. It is already too late, but still something can be done! This tiger summit acted as a platform for the countries with remaining wild tiger populations, like some countries of Asia and donor countries, like the U.S., to agree on concrete measures to resist the alarming trend directed toward the complete annihilation of the species. The fight begins here! The tiger range states have agreed upon a common target of multiplying two times the number of wild tigers by the next Year of the Tiger in 2022. The United States has been consistently supporting the international tiger conservation, and continued support from the US Government will be helpful to fulfill the target.

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Save Our Tigers - Part II

After sparing serious thoughts, the biologists have placed the tigers (panthera tigris) at the top of the list of most important endangered animals that are presently facing the menace of extinction. This is become the center of focus for the most significant conservation efforts that have been or going to be made in the year 2010, being the tiger year. The slogan “Save our Tigers” has created a buzz across the web with the fall of 2010. Models and celebrities have stepped forward alongside the many organizations and companies to raise their roars for “Save our Tigers”. Noble job indeed! But can this really make any difference? We, being animal lovers, have been blogging on animals and have posted our thoughts about Save our Tigers campaign. But we hardly feel that we can make any difference in the present situation that tigers across the globe are facing theses days! Yes… the tiger traders are quite aware of the fact that tigers are facing the threat of extinction and they are sure to find a place in museums if trading is not stopped. Who cares?? We, at In Love of Animals, don’t expect them to spare minutes on this blog and think about the poor animals. We have spared serious thoughts on the issue and raised our roars for the campaign in our post save our tigers. What we have written there is what we mean!

Diane Walkington, the head of species program for the WWF in the UK said, “this year has been designated the International Year of Biodiversity by the United Nations and so we have created a list of 10 critically important endangered animals that we believe will need special monitoring over the next 12 months…” He added, “there is particular importance in selecting a creature such as the tiger for special attention. To save the tiger, we have to save its habitat – which is also home to many other threatened species. So if we get things right and save the tiger, we will also save many other species at the same time.” Right said Mr. Walkington. We have to save the habitat. But how? Who will stop cutting forest? What’s the meaning of these kind of campaigns like “Save our Tigers”, if the criminals are not caught and punished?

With only around 3,200 tigers left on the planet, as per the census report 2010 goes, what are the steps to protect them from extinction? Most probably the 2010 tiger census that had begun on January 22, 2010, will sharpen up the debate on resettling forest dwellers. While this will go definitely in favor of the conservation but this may spark up confusion regarding the settlement of the forest dwellers. The primary report laid by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) states, "the principle components that significantly contributed to explaining variation in tiger densities were primarily those containing information on tiger sign indices, prey indices, anthropogenic disturbances and wilderness values." Tigers have to be protected. Studies have shown that they indirectly protect the habitat for Indian Gaur, wild dogs, Sloth Bear, leopards, Sambhar, wild boars, Cheetal and Nilgai in the wild. The Indian government seems quite optimistic with the conservation methods this year about protecting the big cats, although the last census delivered a terribly shocking figure. The death of 59 tigers from January to November 2009 was really worrying.

Note: The all-India 2010 census on the tiger population is being conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) as a joint effort. There had been allegations that the states had fudged tiger counts in the past, which is said to be varying somewhere between 1,165 and 1,657. This is why the present campaign to save the tigers opted for settling for an average figure which is 1,411 tigers.

Rajesh Gopal, the head of NTCA said, "for the first time, we will be using the double sampling method which will be a combination of using camera trapping of the big cat. We will also be using GIS maps to help factor in the habitat and the status of the forests."

Save our Tigers

This post is made to support the petition, "save our tigers". Now the time has come for all hunters and animal lovers to come together for a common cause to save our tigers. Just 1411 tigers are left in India and as fewer as 350 are counting their days in the Mekong River region of Asia! The tiger population all over the world has slashed down at a shockingly alarming rate.

Nearly a century ago there were some 40,000 tigers that ruled the Indian subcontinent, said WWF. Poaching, wanton destruction of the natural habitat of the tigers and hunting of their natural prey are some of the major causes of the dire situation that threatens the existence of tigers across the globe today. But who doesn't know these things? What's the point of simply blogging and spreading awareness. I am sure such awareness programs will never work. Why? Because, everyone - every educated person across the world is quite aware of this threatening situation. We all know what is happening. We all know why tiger population has shrunk down so fast all over the world. I'm sure whoever is reading this post knows everything. So no point shouting about "Save our Tigers" across the web. Its a game that governments can only come up with an end. Here are just a few questions that I would like to be answered...

• How many tiger traders were caught in the past 10 years?
• How many tiger hunters have been hung to death in the past 10 years?
• How many tree traders have been put behind the bar in the past 10 years?
• If they can kill tigers, why cannot the security force kill them?
• What steps have been taken against the paralyzed security system?
• Why is it that in just 10 decades the tiger population in India has come down from 40,000 to 1411 despite spending so much time and money on of spreading awareness?
• Why is it that even after knowing everything tigers in China are in the verge of extinction?
  

If just shouting and blogging for the prevention of tigers would have been worthy enough, their wouldn't have questions for law, security and punishments! I would love to blog on Save Our Tigers all year round if it could be a real solution. Years are passing by without any remarkable changes in the conditions that are causing the tiger population shrink down at high pace.

Why despite of such awareness programs tigers and many other species are getting extinct?

This is not something that general mass can solve simply by spreading awareness on something that people are already aware of. Governments have to be more proactive and must change the way they have been looking to it. Laws and securities must be stronger and should not be just to know, but to implement too! Punishment.... if they can kill tigers, they MUST be killed too.

Tiger Year 2010 : Save the Tigers

Save Our Tigers


If you are an animal lover, you are on the right blog that talks about animals, prevention of cruelty to animals and any kind of information about animals. With the fall of 2010, the tiger year, the news about their existence has been so bad that it brought in wrinkles between our eyebrows!

There had been as many as 8 distinctive subspecies of tigers that could be found across the globe. Unfortunately three of them have already become extinct, and amongst the rest one is certain to become so within a short spell of time. Their range of existence used to be several pocket on the planet including Siberia, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, China, India and southeast Asia, including the Indonesian islands. Sadly today, their population is severely on the wane, and just 1411 is left.

Better late than never. We still have time to spare thoughts over this. We can still do something to prevent tigers from going to museum and in the pages of history. If dogs can do, why can't we??? But my question is "what?" What can we really do? How? Will just spreading awareness work?

Stay tuned... I will share my serious thoughts.