V S Sankar
31-05-2010, 09:25 AM
The cover story of "India Today'" 7th June issue is about tiger killers of India.Their principal Correspondent Mihir Srivastava has been on the trail of the poachers and gives detailed descrption about their modus operandi.
Two tribal communities are responsible for most of the tiger killings in India.The article also says that it is China which is responsible for the decimation of tigers in India.A killed tiger fetches the poachers a cool Rs.4 lacs.
Almost all parts of the tigers are used for some medicinal purpose in China.There are even tiger farms in China.
The Pardhis and Barwariyas are the nomadic tribes responsible for most of the killings.They are expert hunters and can track the tiger and the forest officals diligently.
The article talks about two people who were responsible for around 1000 tiger deaths.They were the traders who supplied the tiger parts to China.It is estimated that the demand for tiger(dead ones)is around 60 per year from China.These two people are behind bars now.
The tribal hunters receive orders from the traders and sets off by train(including women and children) to the target zone.They camp near the vicinity setting up temporay shops selling cheap jewelley as cover.It takes only a few days for them to learn about the tiger movements in the area.
They lay out animal meat as bait and keep iron traps.(The cover picture is of a big tiger trapped like this).It needs around 12 people to monitor the tiger and the forest guards.They start their activity just after mid-night after the last forest patrol.
How the tiger is trapped and killed makes disturbing reading.They skin the tiger on the spot and bury them there itself.They come back after a week to retrieve the bones.They would have already removed the organs.
The tribes look like just ordnary people but are making a lot of money.The article says that there may be a nexus between them and some forest officials.
The corespondent talks to MoFE, Jairam Ramesh on the protection of tigers.He says protecting tigers is a tough job and the government would do whatever it takes to keep the tigers alive.
Please click on the link to read an online version of the article
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/99228/Cover%20Story/Tracking+the+tiger+killers.html
Regards
Two tribal communities are responsible for most of the tiger killings in India.The article also says that it is China which is responsible for the decimation of tigers in India.A killed tiger fetches the poachers a cool Rs.4 lacs.
Almost all parts of the tigers are used for some medicinal purpose in China.There are even tiger farms in China.
The Pardhis and Barwariyas are the nomadic tribes responsible for most of the killings.They are expert hunters and can track the tiger and the forest officals diligently.
The article talks about two people who were responsible for around 1000 tiger deaths.They were the traders who supplied the tiger parts to China.It is estimated that the demand for tiger(dead ones)is around 60 per year from China.These two people are behind bars now.
The tribal hunters receive orders from the traders and sets off by train(including women and children) to the target zone.They camp near the vicinity setting up temporay shops selling cheap jewelley as cover.It takes only a few days for them to learn about the tiger movements in the area.
They lay out animal meat as bait and keep iron traps.(The cover picture is of a big tiger trapped like this).It needs around 12 people to monitor the tiger and the forest guards.They start their activity just after mid-night after the last forest patrol.
How the tiger is trapped and killed makes disturbing reading.They skin the tiger on the spot and bury them there itself.They come back after a week to retrieve the bones.They would have already removed the organs.
The tribes look like just ordnary people but are making a lot of money.The article says that there may be a nexus between them and some forest officials.
The corespondent talks to MoFE, Jairam Ramesh on the protection of tigers.He says protecting tigers is a tough job and the government would do whatever it takes to keep the tigers alive.
Please click on the link to read an online version of the article
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/99228/Cover%20Story/Tracking+the+tiger+killers.html
Regards