Tiger is one of the most magnificent animals in the world and is also one of the most endangered animals. Number of tigers are decreasing remarkably all over the world. Tigers increasingly compete with expanding human population, industry, killing by poachers.
If these trends are continued, the tigers may evolve from being an endangered species and off endangered species list to become an extinct species.
Tigers belong to carnivores group which means 'meat eater'. In order to live in the wild, tigers need water to drink, animals to eat and forestation to hide. Agricultural expansion, timber cutting, new road construction, human settlement, push the tigers into the smaller to smaller areas. In Asia, explosive population growth demands more and more land be converted to agricultural and industrialisation.
In India 60 % of the total tiger population still exists but they find less and less to eat .In search of food tigers are come into the locality which causes death of men and domestic animals. Villagers often poison, shoot or snare the encroaching tigers.
Tiger straying is a burning issue in Sunderban area. Tigers stray into the adjacent villages in search of food like goats and cows. Tigresses come out from the forest area and enter into the adjacent paddy fields to give birth and to avoid attack by the males. Old aged, disabled tigers with broken tooth stray into the local villages because it is very difficult for them to hunt in the forest and they find it easy to kill domestic cattle.
Another most interesting reason for tiger straying is fog factor. According to Mr. Samik Gupta, Member, IUCN , 40 to 45 % tiger straying in Sunderban area happens during the months of November to January. During this period, due to heavy fog, the river and the forest fuse together and it is impossible for one to separate the land from the river. Although, the tigers have brilliant vision but it does not function well in the fog and as a result of which they enter into the localities.
The problem of tiger straying can be controlled and / or reduced by massive forestation, reducing deforestation, by supplying food like deer, wild pigs etc, digging sweet water ponds inside the forest area by nylon net fencing and if required electric fencing, deputing more forest guards, increasing more watch towers and by maintaining ecological balance.
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