The Sariska Tiger poaching case study is a constant reminder of how human greed and apathy can wipe out an entire species.
The Sariska Tiger Reserve which is located in the Alwar district of Rajasthan, India, is one of the largest national parks in India. In the year 1955 it was declared as a wildlife sanctuary and by the year 1978 it was declared as a tiger reserve as the tiger population in India was rapidly decreasing. The tiger reserve is famous for its endangered Bengal Tiger species.
But in the year 2005, the reserve reached the headlines all over the country not for its tiger conservation program but its discovery of zero tigers in the reserve. In the year 2002 the National Tiger Conservation Authority [NTCA] conducted a survey in the reserve and the population of 16 tigers was found in the reserve but by the year 2004 many locals living in the region reported a decrease of the tiger sightings which was very unusual and the officials in the region dismissed the case as a temporary phenomenon. By the year 2005 the park had to face the worst as there was not even a single tiger left in the reserve and investigation done by the officials clearly stated poaching as the primary cause for this disaster.
The investigation done by NTCA, the forest department and the Rajasthan police revealed that the tigers were poached by a local gang which was active in the region for several years. The local had been using illegal means to hunt the tigers. It was reported that the tigers were killed for their tiger skin, teeth and other body parts which were later smuggled. The investigation also revealed that the case was first dismissed by the officials due to the exchange for bribes. Many officials were also caught in the illegal wildlife trade and the smuggling of the tiger skin.
This haphazard had shaken the Indian conservationist department to the core and the government decided to launch several wildlife and tiger conservation program across the country to prevent such misfortune from ever taking place again.
'Project Tiger' was introduced by the government which aimed on protecting and conserving tiger populations throughout India.
The Sariska reserve was closed for some time to allow the conservationist work on the rehabilitation of the tigers in the reserve. Two female tigers from the Ranthambore national park [another national park located in Rajasthan] were relocated in Sariska and slowly through the years the tigers population in Sariska is steadiy increasing. It was reported around 14 tigers are present in the reserve as of 2021. The rehabilitation of these tigers is a huge and successful development for the country but we still have a long way to cover.
This incident showcased a tale of how human greed and apathy can push an entire species on the verge of extinction.
The government and conservationist are working hand in hand to solve and help with the conservation of wildlife in India and save the species from the verge of getting extinct. It is found that the population of tigers as of 2023 is steadily increasing and India is a home to around 75% of the global tiger population.
- Anuya Patel
