Saving Planet Earth
Fiona Bruce: Saving Tigers
In the last 100 years, the tiger has been driven close to extinction by the loss of its forest habitat and poaching.
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Fiona Bruce investigates the precarious state of the Bengal tiger population and learns about an ambitious conservation project – Tigers Forever. The plan is to create large protected tracts of forest for this evocative symbol of India, while helping local people to relocate away from these areas.
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Whilst riding an elephant in Bandavgarh National Park, Fiona has a close encounter with three wild tigers. Guided by experienced cameraman Alphonse Roy, she is thrilled to see them fighting over their kill just 15 feet away.
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"But then it dawns on me – if I can get this close, can a poacher? A single tiger skin can fetch $16,000, which is a huge return for a single bullet," says Fiona.
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The pressure from poachers to feed the international market for tiger skins and body parts is placing these beautiful cats in deep jeopardy.
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Fiona's journey continues in Bangalore where she meets biologist Dr Ullas Karanth, whose research has shown that tigers need huge areas of forest to thrive in with a plentiful supply of prey, as they are massive meat-eaters.
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For the Tigers Forever project, he is identifying suitable parts of the Western Ghats forest far enough away from farmed land, with both enough deer and tigresses to sustain a growth in the wild tiger population. The ultimate aim is to join these key areas up with corridors of forest.
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"The problem with farmland encroaching into the forest is that the deer have no habitat – which means that the tigers haven't got enough to eat," explains Fiona. "So it's important that it's the right kind of environment and there's enough prey for them to survive."
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Fiona sees first-hand the problems that can occur when farmland encroaches on the tigers' habitat when she meets a villager who was mauled by a tiger that got into the compound.
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However, in the last five years, 17 villages have been relocated away from the prime sites, showing that people and tigers can successfully share the forest. Fiona meets the teams who have developed ways for people and tigers to co-exist.
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The good news is that the declining numbers are reversible, according to Ullas, but the time to act is now. By protecting the tigers you protect the forest and that keeps the water supply for the people. Ullas is confident that, if the project gets funding, it can increase tiger numbers by an amazing 50 per cent in ten years.
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"Let's hope you can do it," adds Fiona. The integration of tigers and people means that tigers can truly be forever.
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A £10 donation to the 91Èȱ¬ Wildlife Fund (charity number 1119286) could help the Tigers Forever Project support a resettled family for a week.
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