Tigers & I, India
We were on 3 elephants; Dhitoo, the obstinate, had made a kill. The morning air was cold and fragrant. We slowly ambled through the river and the grassland. This was Corbett at its best. The crows were pointing to the spot and soon the elephants could sense the presence of the tiger. Sitting on the Howdah I could feel the shiver pass through my elephant. Every one was alert and there was tension and excitement. As we grew close, the Mahawats brought the 3 elephants close to each other. One of the elephants stepped on a branch behind which Dhitoo was – a thunderous roar and a lightening charge. Dhitoo was a very big male tiger, the elephants were well trained and stood their ground, though a friend lost a sola topee in the excitement.

Then something amazing happened and which I can never forget. The charge had brought Dhitoo to almost 15ft. from the elephants. It stood their angry and growling and then lay down right there and closed its eyes. I couldn’t believe it. The tiger had drawn its line and sent a clear message – thus far and no further. The sheer confidence, majesty and presence was amazing. We stood silently and Dhitoo just lay there almost unconcerned. Brij Kapurthala should have it all on film. For me it defined a management approach, confident, courageous and clear. It helped later in life. 

Six months or so later we were headed in the night to Kumeria forest bungalow, on the fringes of the Corbett National Park. It is on an overhang, overlooking the fast flowing Kosi. No lights, but a great location. It was about 9pm. – a winter night. Suddenly my driver brought the car to a halt and said ‘Sambhar’. It was a really big tiger lit up in the beams of the car –close on the left. I studied its reactions – no hurry, no rush – a majestic gentleness, languorous confidence and a deep gaze. He kept looking into the light and six of us, sat silently; after what seemed like a long time, he turned and slowly walked into the shadows of the forest. On reaching Kumeria we lit a bonfire and opened a bottle of Cognac and silently drank into the star lit night. No one said much. This was life.

I was recently in Sariska, a great habitat for tigers with an abundance of prey. Three tigers have been relocated into the unfortunate void. Morning was opening up and we were feeling good in an open SUV. Suddenly the air filled up with the alarm calls of the langoor, Sambhar and the cheetal. The tiger was on the move and we could track it by the way the jungle responded to it. Were they rejoicing in the restored presence of the tigers ? Cuddled up in the gypsy we could share in the excitement. We wanted to but never saw the tiger, yet everyone felt elated and happy. We had experienced with the animals, its magical presence.

I sometimes marvel at the way one got drawn into this world of great creatures and fascinating human beings with tiger in their hearts. I also marvel at the fact that a sculpture sells for a hundred million plus and yet the most beautiful creation of nature is struggling to survive. The world the tiger inhabits has almost disappeared. We have to drive hundreds of miles to reach the isolated patches of wilderness and search the fast emptying shadows.

— Keshav Varma, GTI Program Director

The first day of the Kathmandu Tiger Workshop got off to a fun start with a burst of energy from Nepal’s youth. Junior high students from 30 of Nepal’s schools rallied and marched through the center of town carrying banners and signs of support for conservation and habitat protection. Hundreds of students along with some government officials carrying signs and wearing tiger outfits at the break of day. The Minister of Forests and Soil Conservation of Nepal, Deepak Bohara, spoke to the crowd, thanking and encouraging the students to be active, as it will soon be up to them to take responsibility for Nepal’s natural resource problems, and they will determine the country’s future.

The procession was led by an elephant (see photos) and ‘little tigers,’ children riding the elephant wearing festive tiger costumes. Early morning rush hour traffic honked and yelled in support.

At midday back at the Soaltee Hotel (venue for the conference), the Prime Minister of
Nepal Madhav Kumar Nepal and numerous dignataries opened the Inaugural Session with passionate speeches of hope and determination to make the tiger workshop a success and to step up awareness on tiger conservation issues.

The session featured traditional Nepali dance and music, a video message from President of the World Bank Robert Zoellick, and speeches from other key players.

The tiger range country delegations then presented on the national plans for conservation in their respective countries.

A film crew shooting a documentary on illegal wildlife trafficking for National Geographic arrived and set up shop and began interviewing some of the major figures attending the workshop. An ambience-filled courtyard dinner was held at the Soaltee, where delegates could be seen in small groups holding animated discussions about what can be accomplished here, against the rhythmic background of Nepali music.

A few of the participants and delegates to the Tiger Workshop are starting to show up. Huge tiger billboards and posters greet arrivals at the Kathmandu International Airport and the main thoroughfares in the city. Organizing teams at the Government of Nepal’s Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation are hard at work with logistical preparations.

The workshop is taking place at the sprawling Soaltee Crowne Plaza Hotel on the western side of the city of Kathmandu. The Prime Minister of Nepal, Madhar Kumar Nepal, and the Minister for Environment of Thailand will open the workshop next Tuesday (October 27) during the Inaugural Session. Then the scientists and country delegations will get to work.

Just heard news that the world-reknowned media company and global advertising agency PUBLICIS will be attending the Kathmandu Tiger Workshop and will be presenting their innovative “contagious” ideas about how to address the huge demand for illicit tiger parts in Asia. Also, experts in infrastructure from the World Bank are going to present their newest ideas on “Smart Green Infrastructure” next Wednesday. The presentation is entitled “Arresting Habitat Deterioration: Smart Infrastructure and Land Use.”

Upon arrival in Kathmandu a few days ago to prepare for the Kathmandu Global Tiger Workshop, my first impressions were of a city going about its business at an almost leisurely pace. I should have known – it was the last few days of Tihar – a five day Hindu holiday celebrated in Nepal (the festival of lights). Since then, the streets have crowded, the horns are honking, and the bikes are spewing dust. Power outages are a daily occurrence – only the government and luxury hotels with generators seem to be able to go along with their business without the delays incurred by electricity shortages. Over the next few days, a trickle of wildlife conservationists and government delegations will turn into a downpour. The Global Tiger Initiative and Kathmandu Tiger Workshop will be moving into full ‘war room’ mode. There is a lot at stake here – it’s going to be interesting.

Due to the nature of the beasts (nocturnal and shy by nature), one of the most difficult and controversial points upon which wildlife scientists and tiger conservationists continuously debate is the status of tiger populations in specific tiger conservation landscapes. Numbers vary widely, but there is one area of consensus. In virtually all the identified conservation landscapes across Asia and the Russian Far East, numbers are declining and the news is worse and worse. A total estimate of 3,000-3,500 is being bandied around these days, but with poaching a major issue in India, a new census in Nepal, and bad news from Russia, this estimate is looking increasingly optimistic.