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Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar,  arguably the greatest international cricketer to have ever walked the face of the earth dedicated his most recent Test century at Hamilton, to the tiger. Tiger conservation to be precise. He was later also quoted stating that the entire Indian cricket team supported the cause of the critically endangered species, whose numbers have been dropping alarmingly in the wild. Further in his message, Tendulkar said, “This majestic species is a symbol of India’s rich and diverse wildlife heritage. It is in our best interests to ensure that this magnificent animal is not wiped out. The tiger population in India has dropped by another 17 since January 1st this year and poaching, poisoning, old age and infighting are the reasons cited by the officials. And even as laws are being tightened after each confiscation of tiger body parts, the massive demand of a market in China ensures tigers are valued more dead than alive and that poachers continue to be active. The message by Sachin is being seen as a shot in the arm for tiger conservation something that will be verified over time. From a steady population of about 40,000 tigers in India at the turn of the century to 1,141 tigers in 2006, the big cat is threatened for several reasons and from all sides. The rate at which tigers are being hunted today is as shocking as one every month. On one side is the threat from the poachers that cater to the very lucrative market in neighbouring China while on the other is the major threat due to habitat destruction and the much debated human-wildlife conflict.The Tiger has been a symbol of pride and honour in several parts of India. Initiatives like ‘Project Tiger’ certainly did their bit in conserving the habitat and thus the big cat but the pressures of the kind stated above have always been around and have been more effective thus leading to the alarming decline of the tiger population. Everything from hiring trained forest guards to involving locals and the native people in protection of Parks and sanctuaries has been discussed, some even tried. But the need of the hour is to speed up all the efforts in order to ensure a healthy tiger population lest they would surely be on the expressway to extinction.EnviroSpectra Wishes Many More Centuries to the master batsman, and we hope that his initiative would guide and inspire others to save the big cats from extinction. |
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