TEA, SAMOSAS AND TIGER RELOCATION

Photo above: A two year old female tiger known as T19 and tourists at Rantambore National Park. Rajasthan, India © Tom Pietrasik 2008

I have just uploaded a set of photographs to my gallery page. This story of tiger conservation in the Indian state of Rajasthan was commissioned  just over two years ago by National Geographic Adventure magazine which has now sadly folded.

At the senior government guesthouse of Jogi Mahal a day before the planned relocation of a tiger from Rantambore to Sariska, R.N. Mehrotra (left), Chief Wildlife officer for Rajasthan, discusses strategy with Rajpal Singh, Member of the Rajasthan Tiger Task Force (right) and Divisional Forest officer R.S. Shekhawat (drinking tea)...Sariska National Park in Rajasthan was once home to dozens of tigers but by 2005 poaching had resulted in their complete eradication. Recognising the urgent need for intervention, the Indian and Rajasthan-state governments began the reintroduction of tigers into Sariska. Two cats were airlifted 200 km from Ranthambore National Park in June 2008. On November 5th an attempt to relocate a third tiger was postponed until later in the month. This relocation strategy is certainly an important part of the tiger conservation effort but many, including those like Dharmendra Khandal of the NGO Tiger Watch, argue that it will never be entirely successful without properly confronting the three essential issues that threaten tiger populations: poaching, habitat loss and the hunting of prey-base animals. In turn, these three issues cannot be addressed without acknowledging the malign influence of caste, poverty and poor administrative accountability. Poaching is almost exclusively undertaken by extremely poor and marginalised groups, including the Mogia caste who, without education, land and access to credit have limited alternative means of income. Many in the Mogia community also hunt bush meat for both their own consumption and to sell to others. This results in a depletion of the prey-base upon which tigers feed. Encroachment and grazing by those including the Gujar people who raise dairy herds, have led to habitat loss in Sariska and other parks. To properly tackle the problem of hunting and encroachment, the government must provide alternative livelihoods for marginalised groups and relocate them to viable land before - rather than after - the re (Tom Pietrasik)Rajasthan’s chief wildlife warden Ramesh Mehrotra (left) discusses tiger relocation over a cup of tea with colleagues at the Jogi Mahal guesthouse in Ranthambore park. Mehrotra later took objection to a story that accompanied my photographs in National Geographic Adventure magazine. Rajasthan, India ©Tom Pietrasik 2008

Accompanying me to Rajasthan’s Ranthambore and Sariska national parks was the writer Paul Kvinta whos critical story prompted an angry response from Rajasthan’s chief wildlife warden Ramesh Mehrotra.

A 2.5 year old female tiger known as T19 at Rantambore National Park, Rajasthan. T19 was one of the four candidates for relocation to Sariska National Park. The relocation was eventually aborted because none of the candidates could be located. ..Sariska National Park in Rajasthan was once home to dozens of tigers but by 2005 poaching had resulted in their complete eradication. Recognising the urgent need for intervention, the Indian and Rajasthan-state governments began the reintroduction of tigers into Sariska. Two cats were airlifted 200 km from Ranthambore National Park in June 2008. On November 5th an attempt to relocate a third tiger was postponed until later in the month. This relocation strategy is certainly an important part of the tiger conservation effort but many, including those like Dharmendra Khandal of the NGO Tiger Watch, argue that it will never be entirely successful without properly confronting the three essential issues that threaten tiger populations: poaching, habitat loss and the hunting of prey-base animals. In turn, these three issues cannot be addressed without acknowledging the malign influence of caste, poverty and poor administrative accountability. Poaching is almost exclusively undertaken by extremely poor and marginalised groups, including the Mogia caste who, without education, land and access to credit have limited alternative means of income. Many in the Mogia community also hunt bush meat for both their own consumption and to sell to others. This results in a depletion of the prey-base upon which tigers feed. Encroachment and grazing by those including the Gujar people who raise dairy herds, have led to habitat loss in Sariska and other parks. To properly tackle the problem of hunting and encroachment, the government must provide alternative livelihoods for marginalised groups and relocate them to viable land before - rather than after - the re-introduction of tigers. Compounding all these issues is the ridged hierarchy of India's (Tom Pietrasik) The female tiger known as T19 in Rantambore National Park, Rajasthan. T19 was one of four candidates for relocation to Sariska National Park. Rajasthan, India ©Tom Pietrasik 2008

In his vexed letter, which seems only to have been published in the print edition of National Geographic Adventure, Mehrotra appeared slighted by Kvinta’s critique of Rajasthan’s tiger relocation policy. Mehrotra apparently considered that the fine hospitality and pleasant company he offered us obliged Paul to write a glowing report on the tiger conservation effort.

I have to say, I rather warmed to the avuncular Mehrotra on our journey through Rajasthan. But he surely couldn’t have expected us to relinquish critical scrutiny and ignore the opinion of others – even if we were offered generous access to the parks and provided countless cups of tea accompanied by some particularly delicious samosas.

Mukhesh Saini (foreground), Assistant Field Officer, at Sariska National Park and colleagues including P.M. Sevda (right), Assistant Conservator of Forests use VHF receivers to track Sariska's two tigers, airlifted to the park from Ranthambore in June. Both cats wear transmitter collars. ..Sariska National Park in Rajasthan was once home to dozens of tigers but by 2005 poaching had resulted in their complete eradication. Recognising the urgent need for intervention, the Indian and Rajasthan-state governments began the reintroduction of tigers into Sariska. Two cats were airlifted 200 km from Ranthambore National Park in June 2008. On November 5th an attempt to relocate a third tiger was postponed until later in the month. This relocation strategy is certainly an important part of the tiger conservation effort but many, including those like Dharmendra Khandal of the NGO Tiger Watch, argue that it will never be entirely successful without properly confronting the three essential issues that threaten tiger populations: poaching, habitat loss and the hunting of prey-base animals. In turn, these three issues cannot be addressed without acknowledging the malign influence of caste, poverty and poor administrative accountability. Poaching is almost exclusively undertaken by extremely poor and marginalised groups, including the Mogia caste who, without education, land and access to credit have limited alternative means of income. Many in the Mogia community also hunt bush meat for both their own consumption and to sell to others. This results in a depletion of the prey-base upon which tigers feed. Encroachment and grazing by those including the Gujar people who raise dairy herds, have led to habitat loss in Sariska and other parks. To properly tackle the problem of hunting and encroachment, the government must provide alternative livelihoods for marginalised groups and relocate them to viable land before - rather than after - the re-introduction of tigers. Compounding all th (Tom Pietrasik)Field Officers at Sariska National Park and colleagues use VHF receivers to track Sariska’s two tigers, airlifted to the park from Ranthambore. Both cats wear transmitter collars. Rajasthan, India ©Tom Pietrasik 2008

With only 1,400 tigers left in India and a global population that has fallen by 95 percent in 100 years, the future looks bleak for these beautiful animals. Indeed, just two months ago, one of Sariska’s recently relocated tigers died – the victim of poisoning by a local man.

On a field visit to communities living on the outskirts of Ranthambore National Park in an area beside the Banas river, Dharmendra Khandal of Tiger Watch (right) counsels Kesra Mogia, an ex-poacher from the ostracised Mogia caste. ..Sariska National Park in Rajasthan was once home to dozens of tigers but by 2005 poaching had resulted in their complete eradication. Recognising the urgent need for intervention, the Indian and Rajasthan-state governments began the reintroduction of tigers into Sariska. Two cats were airlifted 200 km from Ranthambore National Park in June 2008. On November 5th an attempt to relocate a third tiger was postponed until later in the month. This relocation strategy is certainly an important part of the tiger conservation effort but many, including those like Dharmendra Khandal of the NGO Tiger Watch, argue that it will never be entirely successful without properly confronting the three essential issues that threaten tiger populations: poaching, habitat loss and the hunting of prey-base animals. In turn, these three issues cannot be addressed without acknowledging the malign influence of caste, poverty and poor administrative accountability. Poaching is almost exclusively undertaken by extremely poor and marginalised groups, including the Mogia caste who, without education, land and access to credit have limited alternative means of income. Many in the Mogia community also hunt bush meat for both their own consumption and to sell to others. This results in a depletion of the prey-base upon which tigers feed. Encroachment and grazing by those including the Gujar people who raise dairy herds, have led to habitat loss in Sariska and other parks. To properly tackle the problem of hunting and encroachment, the government must provide alternative livelihoods for marginalised groups and relocate them to viable land before - rather than after - the re-introduction of tigers. Compounding all these issues is the ridged hierarchy of India's forest depar (Tom Pietrasik)On a field visit to communities living on the outskirts of Ranthambore National Park, Dr. Dharmendra Khandal of Tiger Watch (right) counsels an ex-poacher from the ostracized Mogia caste. Rajasthan, India ©Tom Pietrasik 2008

But how much worse it could be if the charms of official hospitality were ever to silence those who scrutinize policy and continue to argue that there are systemic problems with India’s tiger conservation strategy. Thankfully samosas and cups of tea never succeeded in censoring those like the tireless campaigner Dr. Dharmendra Khandal of Tiger Watch. Perhaps it was frustration with the incorruptible Khandal that saw park authorities attempt to bring charges against him last August when he photographed a tiger attack on the unfortunate ranger Daulat Singh Shaktawat.

Wild date palms in the morning mist of Sariska National Park. Little other vegetation survives in this part of the park because human habitation encourages livestock grazing. It was always controversial to re-introduce tigers into Sariska without first relocating those communities who live in the park. Apart from the remote danger to human life that the presence of tigers presents, human's deplete vegetation, and therefore the tiger prey-base, by gathering firewood and allowing their animals to graze on park-land. The government is now in the process of removing villages by offering residents alternative plots outside the park. ..Sariska National Park in Rajasthan was once home to dozens of tigers but by 2005 poaching had resulted in their complete eradication. Recognising the urgent need for intervention, the Indian and Rajasthan-state governments began the reintroduction of tigers into Sariska. Two cats were airlifted 200 km from Ranthambore National Park in June 2008. On November 5th an attempt to relocate a third tiger was postponed until later in the month. This relocation strategy is certainly an important part of the tiger conservation effort but many, including those like Dharmendra Khandal of the NGO Tiger Watch, argue that it will never be entirely successful without properly confronting the three essential issues that threaten tiger populations: poaching, habitat loss and the hunting of prey-base animals. In turn, these three issues cannot be addressed without acknowledging the malign influence of caste, poverty and poor administrative accountability. Poaching is almost exclusively undertaken by extremely poor and marginalised groups, including the Mogia caste who, without education, land and access to credit have limited alternative means of income. Many in the Mogia community also hunt bush meat for both their own consumption and to sell to others. This results in a depletion of the prey-base upon which tigers feed. Encroachment and grazing by those inc (Tom Pietrasik) Other than wild date palms, litte natural vegetation survives in this part of Sariska park because human habitation encourages livestock grazing. Relocating tigers in such close proximity to human settlements was a strategy that backfired when a cat was poisoned to death here in November 2010. Rajasthan, India ©Tom Pietrasik 2008
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