(IN): Project Tiger beset with controversies

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Link:

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080041258 & ch=2/15/2008\

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*Project Tiger beset with controversies*

 

Prachi Bhuchar

Thursday, February 14, 2008 (New Delhi)

The last thing India's national animal needed was a fresh controversy on

just how many tigers exist.

of Project Tiger has told NDTV that its unfortunate that various

states have disputed the findings of the new tiger census, which shows a

staggering decline in the numbers of the big cat.

 

''We do not accept these statistics and I'm told other states have rejected

the figures and so has our forest department,'' said Naveen Patnaik, Chief

Minister, Orissa.

 

Naveen Patnaik bluntly rejected the findings of the latest tiger census that

says his state has only 45 tigers. That's less than one fourth of what his

government had earlier said.

 

Simlipal reserve has only 25 big cats. That's exactly what NDTV had said two

years ago, but the state government had rubbished those claims.

 

Orissa claims that the last time poaching took place in Similipal was in the

year 1989. But the central government found out facts that pointed to the

contrary.

 

''Our cameras instead of capturing tigers have captured images of hunters

with bows and arrows inside Simplipal. They have stray dogs with them. There

are images of them walking out with dead animals,'' said Rajesh Gopal,, Project Tiger.

 

One thing is for certain the national animal is dying. And unless the Centre

and the states work more closely, there will be more Sariskas.

 

''You cannot be in denial and pretend all is good because it is not. We

cannot save the tiger if there is no cooperation from the states,'' said

Rajesh Gopal, Director, Project Tiger.

 

India had 1827 tigers when Project Tiger was set 35 years ago, however, the

number has now gone down to 1411, as per the census figures.

 

 

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