In the wild, the maximum age of a tiger is 10 years. On attaining this age, the tigers get killed by other animals. Kanpur zoo director K Thomas said that there are six tigers in the zoo, including Guddu. Guddu is given around 10 kgs of boneless meat which the animal swallows as it teeth have fallen. Thomas hope that with the best of the treatment, Guddu will get well and set a record of age here in Kanpur zoo.
Facebook Twitter Linkedin EMail. Start a Conversation. Are all tigers man-eaters? What is the significance of tigers in India? Tigers occupy an important place in the Indian culture. Since ages, it has been a symbol of magnificence, power, beauty and fierceness and has been associated with bravery and valor.
The tiger also has a significant place in Hindu mythology as the vehicle of Goddess Durga. In olden times, hunting of tigers was considered to be one of the highest acts of bravery by kings and noblemen. The tiger is a unique animal which plays a pivotal role in the health and diversity of an ecosystem. It is a top predator and is at the apex of the food chain. Therefore the presence of tigers in the forest is an indicator of the well-being of the ecosystem.
Protection of tigers in forests protects habitats of several other species. Indirect benefits include protection of rivers and other water sources, prevention of soil erosion and improvement of ecological services like pollination, water table retention etc. The absence of this top predator is an indication that its ecosystem is not sufficiently protected. Tigers are both a Flagship and Umbrella species. As a Flagship species they are important for conservation and as Umbrella species, conservation of tigers leads to conservation of other species.
Tigers and high intensity biotic disturbances such as poaching and stealing of kills do not go together. If the tigers in the wild have to survive, it is imperative that other species of wild animals that are directly or indirectly a part of the food chain must also thrive.
Therefore, the survival of the tiger is an important yardstick to measure the existence of a healthy forest ecosystem. Tigers have been featured extensively in Indian art. Is tiger endangered? Yes, tigers in the wild are facing severe threats. There has been steep decline in the tiger population all across the world. At the beginning of the last century, it is believed that worldwide, there were possibly many thousands of tigers in the wild with about a few thousands of those in India.
The decline in the tiger population in India can be attributed to many factors. The major reason is the growth in human population. Since independence large chunks of prime tiger habitats have been lost forever to agriculture and developmental activities. In India till the middle of the last century, people killed tigers in the name of sport. Tiger hunting was officially banned only after the enactment of the Wildlife Protection Act in Today, increasing biotic disturbances, uncontrolled poaching of prey, urbanization, mining and quarrying; and poaching of tiger for its body parts gravely threaten the future of the tiger.
Bones and other body parts of the tigers are used in Traditional Chinese Medicines TCM and their skins are used for making Chubas the traditional robe worn by the Tibetans. It is this illegal market for tiger skins and parts in China and Tibet that remains as one of the most serious threat to wild tiger populations in India. Poaching of tiger for its body parts gravely threaten its future.
What are the Indian and international laws that protect tigers? Any person who commits such an offence is punishable with an imprisonment of not less than three years extending up to seven years along with a fine of not less than fifty thousand rupees which may extend up to two lakh rupees. In the event of a second or subsequent conviction he can receive imprisonment for a term of not less than seven years and a fine which shall be not less than five lakh rupees and can vary up to a maximum of fifty lakh rupees The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CITES presently ratified by over countries, makes international trade in tiger parts illegal.
India has been a signatory of this convention since the year Who are the major stakeholders in tiger conservation in India today? What are the methods to estimate tiger populations? It is conducted at regular intervals to know the current tiger populations and population trends. Besides estimating the number of tigers the method also helps to gather information on the density of the tiger populations and associated prey. Many different methods are used to estimate the number of tigers. In this method the imprints of the pugmark of the tiger were recorded and used as a basis for identification of individuals.
Now it is largely used as one of the indices of tiger occurrence and relative abundance. Recent methods used to estimate the numbers of tigers are camera trapping and DNA finger-printing. In camera trapping, the photograph of the tiger is taken and individuals are differentiated on the basis of the stripes on the body.
In the latest technique of DNA fingerprinting, tigers can be identified from their scats. Geoffroy Cat Oncifelis Geoffroyi. Flat-Headed Cat Prionailurus Planiceps. Iriomote Cat Prionailurus Bengalensis Iriomotensis.
Puma Puma Concolor. Red Lynx Lynx Rufus. Rusty-Spotted Cat Prionailurus Rubiginosus. Sand Cat Felis Margarita. Serval Leptailurus Serval. Tiger Cat Leopardus Tigrinus. Ocelot Leopardus Pardalis. Marbled Cat Pardofelis Marmorata. Jungle Cat Felis Chaus. Jaguarundi Herpailurus Yagouaroundi. Cheetah Acinonyx Jubatus. Caracal Caracal Caracal.
Borneo Clouded Leopard Neofelis Diardi. Asian Leopard Cat Prionailurus Bengalensis.
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