‘Save tiger’ call reverberates at Tezu meet

TEZU, Jun 18:  There were around 100,000 tigers in the world at the beginning of 20th century. However, a mere 3,200 tigers survive in the world today as a result of habitat destruction and unabated poaching.

Most other animals such as elephants, bears and leopards share the same fate. Their populations too have severely plummeted in the past few years.

The roaring of tigers, a familiar night sound in the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh 15-20 years ago, is a thing of past now.

Arunachal Pradesh, a state widely known for its enchanting natural beauty, unending wilderness and untamed wildlife, hasn’t been untouched by the ever increasing human greed. Vast tracts of forests have simply vanished in the past 10 years and so has the wildlife. The combined effect of urban encroachment on habitat and the illegal wild meat trade is having a devastating impact on the survival of many species.

These observations were made by Sahil Nijhawan, a wildlife expert working on tiger conservation with an international NGO called ‘Panthera’, while speaking about importance of environmental conservation at an environmental awareness campaign, organized by Abralow Memorial Multipurpose Society, a local NGO in association with District Forest Division, Lohit under State CAMPA, atArunJyotiSchoolhere.

Founded in 2006, Panthera, which along with Aaranyak, a Guwahati-based NGO, is working to conserve tigers and other carnivores in Arunachal Pradesh, focuses its efforts on conservation of the world’s largest, most imperiled cats—tigers, lions, jaguars and snow leopards.

Nijhawan, while talking to the gathering that included students and panchayat leaders, stressed that without the forests, there will be no tigers. “We have to come together to stop illegal logging and say no to wild meat if we want to secure the future of the remaining tigers in the State.”

Speaking on the occasion, DFO T Pertin explained that the importance of the (CAMPA) scheme is to create awareness among general public, students and other target groups about environmental issues. He added that the scheme seeks to take measures for environmental protection by active involvement of students, NGOs and general public.

DFO (Planning) Jumto Riba was also present on the occasion. Jibi Pulu, a panchayant leader and conservationist, appealed the people to lessen their dependency on the forests and refrain from instinctual hunting.

Earlier, the students planted saplings at various locations and dustbins were distributed to the schools. Art and essay writing competitions were also organized as a part of the campaign to spread the message of conservation, the prizes of which will be given away on the occasion of Van Mahotsava on July 7.