On the road to Liberty

The summit in St Petersburg focusing on the plight of the tiger was the first international summit of its kind, though similar in content to the new Global Tiger Initiative launched by the World Bank in 2010 itself. Few of the tigers who roamed in the wild in the past remain that way at present, and many of the rest are in captivity. The greatest threat is the loss of habitat and man animal conflict. The tiger is a much valuable animal for human beings for parts like bones and skin. Environmental activists are busy blaming human beings for the problems of conservation without proposing practical solutions. My article titled "Save the tiger from those who love it" was published in The Financial Express on 7th December 2010. Russia recently hosted a summit in St Petersburg to focus attention on the plight of the tiger in the wild. This is the first international summit of this kind, where heads of states of Russia, China, Bangladesh and some of the other range countries ...

WHICH country is thinking about applying free-market principles to wildlife preservation and, in the process, improving the survival chances of a long-endangered species while giving its economy a boost? Communist China, of course. In this article, " Sell the tiger to save it ", published in the New York Times, on 15 August 2010, I propose that we harness the power of commerce for the cause of conservation of tigers. China joined the international effort to protect the tiger in 1993. But today there is a growing recognition among many Chinese officials that a policy of prohibition and trade restrictions has not benefited the tiger as much as it has helped poachers and smugglers of tigers and tiger parts. Conservationists say the worldwide illegal trade in forest products and wildlife is between $10 billion and $12 billion, with more than half of that coming from Asia. Of the planet’s estimated 5,000 wild tigers, about 75 percent are in India, which, like most nations, belie...

Following the tragic death of a dozen tigers in the Nandankanan Zoo in Orissa, I contributed this article to the Spotlight programme on the Conditions of Zoos in India, broadcast by the All India Radio on 11 July 2000. The death of a dozen tigers at the Nandankanan Zoo in Bhubaneswar, has shocked the world. There are estimated to be only 7-7,500 of them left in the wild. Another few thousands may be in captivity in Zoos and circuses around the world. Sadly, even Zoos, the last refuge for some of the wild and endangered species is no longer safe for the animals. Unless serious lessons are drawn and drastic reforms in organisation of zoos, as well as changes in the Wildlife Protection Act, are initiated, the days of the tigers and many other wild animals in India will be truly numbered. However, the response to this tragedy of the tigers so far has been extremely pedantic. A committee has been formed to investigate the deaths. And according to one newspaper report, the committee reach...