Black Tigers in India

[snIPer]

I recently saw a paper cutting of an article in "New Indian Express" dated the 5th of June 2007 about Black Tigers being spotted in the wild in Bhubaneshwar, I though it was some kind of joke as I havent heard of them before (black panther yes but not this).

Seems that it is true.

http://users.aristotle.net/~swarmack/blaktigr.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_tiger_(animal)

[shahid]

There have been other accounts by reputable sportsmen in the past too of black tigers. A Black Tiger unlike the White TIgers of REWA is not an albino species but a freak of nature.

Reports of spotting black tigers have come from Bengaul, Bihar, Terai forest that borders Nepal and from Cooch Behar bordering Assam.

I am sure there would have been other accounts of it in leading sporting states of the time like Rajputana, Central Provinces, Orissa, Mysore State, Carnatic, some areas of the Nawab of Hyderabad's provinces, Periyar and Madras state of the erstwhile era.

At the turn of the 20th century, if you beat any sq. km patch of forest land in Kumaon, Terai, or the sal forests of the gangetic plains a tiger would emerge. With that population, instances of freaks too would be of a higher probability then now, where there are barely 800 tigers in the wild.

[Grumpy]

Melanistic strains are no more a `freak of nature` than albinos - considerably less in fact as they suffer fewer environmental and health disadvantages than albinos...........accepting that black Polar Bears would be at something of a disadvantage ( and yes, I agree that Polar Bears are white, not albino. )
Melanism occurs quite often in game birds - we have a melanistic strain of feral Pheasant locally - and deer amongst many other animals.
We also have melanistic Fallow Deer in this area.......which cause a fair bit of confusion to those who see them for the first time.

[Grumpy]

One of the best known examples of a species which adopted melanism as a survival trait concerns certain species of moth which adopted darker and darker colouration in order to match its resting environment. As cities in Victorian Britain became blacker due to pollution ( soot ! ) from coal fires and boilers the moths adapted to suit. When the `clean air` acts were enacted and blackened buildings were cleaned or knocked down ( and trees were no longer covered in soot ) the moths have reverted to their original pale colouration.
Melanism in Tigers ( or Pheasants.....or Fallow Deer ) is not related to environmental pollution but the result of a recessive gene however there might be environmental advantages that we are, as yet, unaware of.

[shooter]

very true grumpy. it is a classical example and we school biology students were expected to remember the genus and species of the moth.
i would like to point out that strange but true, the same industrilisation also gave rise to the black british attire.
before the industrial revolution, coloured clothes were in fashion but became dirty due to soot. you all get the pic.

shahid, i would like to point there are much more than 800 tigers in the wild even by the most conservative estimates. in fact india has the highest wild tiger population in the world.

[Grumpy]

..........Now prepare for a shock - make sure that you are sitting down.
It`s not often that Shahid and I agree on something ( OK, barely ever ) ( ) but this is is a rare example: Official Indian Government figures for Tiger numbers are known to be wildly optimistic.....ridiculously so. All the reputable sources that I`ve read or heard in the last few months estimate that the actual number of Tigers remaining is between 800 and 1200 - and those figures are almost constantly being revised downwards.
When Mehul Kamdar said two or three years ago that the Tiger would be extinct in India within ten years he was reviled in many quarters but his forecast is looking more and more likely. Every time a proper count is made of a Tiger Reserve the numbers are found to be far fewer than the official figures. In one case it was found that there were NO Tigers remaining in the Park, in another the number was revised down by over 80% - with only 8 ( EIGHT ! ) Tigers remaining.
That India has the largest wild Tiger population is a fact.......but only just.......and that`s at the moment. In a couple of years or so the situation is likely to be different. The nation with the largest number of Tigers is the USA where there are far more Tigers in private ownership - by a factor of several times - than there are wild in India.

[shooter]

Fact: sariska tiger reserve (project tiger) doesnt have a single tiger left.
Ranthambore population is not known.

Bandhavgarh kanha are hotspots for poaching.

Worlds largest population of big cats ( not just tigers but lions , leopards) is in usa. 15,000 big cats in the us.
there was a very intresting series on nat geo regarding this. which also showed ads in newspapers and internet which prooved it was cheaper to buy a tiger cub in usa than a pedigreed dog.
it also stated that canned tiger hunts were going on in usa as late as 1992 if not later.
Ive been away from home so i might not be up to date.
i knew there was a sharp decline in tiger population but didnt realise it was so bad.
I also want to state that the state i come from in india had quite a sizable tiger and leopard population which i have seen drastically drop in the last decade. not just because of poaching but also because of habitat destruction and also the drought which forced animals to the village drains in search of water where they were stoned to death.
i hope ours is not the last generation to see tigers in the wild.
( when asked to name appropriate animal homes,
eg. dog kennel, pig- sty, my younger cousins, nephews have started saying tiger/lion- zoo instead of den.)

[Grumpy]

So whereabouts in India are you from ?

[shahid]

Believe me gentlemen, the situation is alarming. Very very alarming indeed.

Erosion of forest cover, settlements inside reserve forests ( vote banks so they can stay on ), grazing cattle compete with Deer species, so little food for the Tigers / Leopards.

Connection corridors between forest areas populated now and the jungle cleared. Illegal agricultural land now.

Concrete stone mining in the middle of reserve forest. Katha trade ( smuggling ), Timber theft, village population cutting trees for firewood.

Then this poaching business, and a forest guard on low motivation and a huge area to patrol on foot.

What chance does a poor Tiger have ? none at all.

Tiger litters have a tough time surviving because of constant human encroachment, and no fod for the nursing tigress. Often a nursing Tigress prefering to stay on within the normal beat area refuses to abandon the beat, in sake of the litter and falls prey to poachers.

800 to 1200 is an optimistic number. Every night India loses at least 10 to 12 Tigers to poachers.

Our politicians just talk, take no concrete steps. And every day of delay we loose out more.

There are possibilities to save the cat.
Privateisation seems to be the only current alternative unless people have other ideas.

Mad people who think ( still ) in this age that Tiger whiskers are an aphordisac need to get their heads examined, but who will educate them. Placing a Rhino horn under the nupital bed produces male heirs ( imagine the belief ). There is little chance, and the future is bleak.

In Sunderbans, to ensure illegal fishing and honey gathering from the delta forests, every method from snares, poision, crude bombs and illegal weapons is in rampant use to destroy the tiger.

I had an opportunity to speak with a number of Wildlife journalists like Valmik Thapar and others on this subject.

Girdhar, another friend who has spent years in Rathsmbore ( son of noted conservationist Fateh Singh ) project an image of dismay and defeat.

Soon Tiger sighting will be limited to zoologial parks of India.

[Vikram]

Well said,Shahid.

Anyone who reads this and cares for wildlife,please join and support an organisation that supports conservation.I work for WWF.Mack The Knife for WASI.Please do you bit.Thanks much.

Best-
Vikram

[shooter]

grumpy im from rajasthan (earstwhile rajputana)
currently the largest state, shares the border with pakistan. famous for wildlife.(amongst other things.) the above stated conservationists are also from my state.

when i last visited ranthambore last, trees were being cut in broad daylight openly and the guides pleading with us (visitors) to do something about it.
they said if we complain to 'big people', maybe something would be done.
it is so easy to poach in india. no matter what national park. there is a flop movie kaal. but what they have potrayed about poaching is so true.
tiger fat, meat, bones, liver, gall bladder etc all have been said to have ' medicinal' properties.
These so called celebrities campaign to save wildlife but assist and help in poaching.
I was surprised at the ease with which one can acquire banned animal products in India be it shatoosh shawls, big cat claws, skins etc.
sorry for the emotional outburst but this brings us to another question whose answer we all know but im starting a thread so plz post ur views.. is a total ban on hunting the best way to conserve wildlife IN INDIA ( in the present circumstances.)

[Sakobav]

Banning hunting and forest management is one part of it other is alternative cheap fuel resources for villagers, water and minimize over grazing by cattle (I am not even talking about pressure of feeding India's billions and need for more more farming land cover. Import an costly option but then content with China for same food imports). There have to be economic incentives tied to maintaining sanctuary for local population. Now look at the choice Orissa has to make they have sold mining rights for billion of dollars to multiple companies. Govt has to make tough choice between 1000s of jobs to be created by mining operations, end up with Butte Montana pollution situation or conserve what might be one of the few forests in India. This case is now with Supreme Court of India from Wall Street Journal

Indian Activists' Rising Clout
BY JACKIE RANGE
Word Count: 889 | Companies Featured in This Article: Posco, Alcan
NEW DELHI -- India's Supreme Court is poised to decide whether a British company has the right to mine in a sacred tribal forest, a case that underlines the complexity of undertaking large-scale industrial projects here.
The case's hearing by the court reflects the growing clout of activist groups in India and the bigger role the judiciary is taking in enforcing the country's environmental rules. Experts say legal challenges could become a greater hurdle for foreign and local investors as India's environmental lobbyists work together and gather influence.
Vedanta Alumina Ltd., majority-owned by London-listed metals-and-mining company Vedanta Resources PLC, wants ...

Best

[shooter]

man lets not even talk about mining.

Recently, rich industralists have been pouring a lot of money to increase poaching of gorillas in congo.
so that when the last gorilla in that national park dies, it will cease to be a sanctuary for gorillas and they can lease the land for mining. only 5 gorilla families are remaining in that national park. ( and 1 baby surviving from a massacre of other families.)

so much money is being poured into this poaching operation that the rangers are powerless. also, one doesnt even have to take any survivors (unlike poaching for capturing gorillas where you had to kill all the adults to capture the young.)

lets hope this trend/ devious scheme doesnt reach india.

[Grumpy]

Yes, that deliberate eradication of the Gorilla shows business at its most cynical, most mercenary and most evil. A truly shameful occurence.

[jonahpach]

I happen to have a book By LAK Singh published by the WWF called 'Born Black' (The Melanistic Tigers in India) Here are some scanned photos of the Melanistic Tiger in India