One man’s fight to save a generation of tigers
And build a school in the jungle...
With the number of wild tigers increasing for the first time in decades, I feel inclined to tell the story of Phil Davis, a humble gentleman that’s been saving tigers for almost 20 years. An intense journey that’s taken him from Leicester’s urban sprawl to the dense mangrove jungles of the Sundarbans.
Growing up close to Twycross Zoo, Phil became aware of Billy Arjan Singh, his greatest inspiration. A controversial character of royal descent who’d turned his back on hunting to devote his life to conservation.
Billy’s moral awakening led him to visit Twycross in the early 70s to adopt a young tigress cub, Tara. Amid a backdrop of resistance and very little support, the tigress was hand-reared and released successfully into the wild.
This unswerving dedication, despite a raft of naysayers, inspired Phil to follow in his giant footsteps.
In 1998, the charity Tiger Awareness was born.
The harsh realities of conservation
The following year, Phil visited India for the first time to meet with Billy. It soon became apparent that many of the problems associated with the decline of wild tigers were the result of specific local issues.
For example, the winding waterways of the Sundarbans are an area of such biodiversity that they house not only 400 royal Bengal tigers, but also a large number of villagers in outlying communities. This environmental balancing act creates an undesirable tension.
Tigers don’t wish to encroach into villages in exactly the same way that villagers have no desire to wander into the jungle. However, historically, this has been a tragic requirement for both parties.
The natural habitat of a tiger is continually being destroyed and hence prey density is reducing. This environmental pressure forces tigers to hunt outside of their usual range, which often results in villagers losing lives or livelihoods. In one such incident, a Sundarban tiger managed to squeeze through a small gap in a fence to kill three cows. Although the owner was grateful for not losing his own life, he relied entirely on the cattle for income.
This scenario, which results from a tiger’s utter desperation, can be cited as the primary reason for many being poisoned. In addition, local villagers such as woodcutters and honey gatherers often find themselves venturing into the tigers’ domain out of sheer necessity. A particularly perilous occupational hazard.
To attempt to mitigate against some of these issues, the local forest department provides compensation to villagers affected by tiger encroachment. This in the hope that some kind of uneasy stalemate can be reached.
However, these schemes are often tricky to administer and open to corruption. Around seven years ago, in Damna, which is close to the Bandhavgarh National Park boundary, several tigers were poisoned after villagers alleged that a forest official asked for a bribe before accepting a compensation request. They felt they had no option.
Clearly on top of this, poaching is still a grave issue. Every single day a tiger loses its life at a poacher’s hand. Certain Chinese medicines still contain tiger body parts.
Phil was determined to actually affect some kind of change so, through Tiger Awareness, he dedicated his life to working directly with local projects in Dudhwa, Bandhavagarh, Ranthambhore and the Sundarbans. His achievements to date have been astonishing and span three key areas:
Building a school
Thanks to Tiger Awareness and its partners, an exceptional new Sundarbans school stands proudly among the mangroves. Decorated with a wonderful selection of wildlife imagery, its teachers provide an education to over 200 children. Students are taught a range of topics relating to forest conservation along with English and art. Since its construction in 2014, further investment has ensured the school’s continued success, with a library being the most recent addition.
Plans for a second school in Assam are already underway.
Giving villagers the opportunity to diversify
Evidently, villagers undertake dangerous professions out of complete necessity. Many women in the Sundarbans lose their lives fishing in local rivers, which are rife with crocodiles, for example.
By supporting several local organisations, Tiger Awareness creates a diverse array of work prospects. One such initiative, Saving Tiger, teaches various skills to the villagers in Jhorkhali, including how to craft products out of Jute (a fibre used to make hessian).
Anti-poaching measures
Forests are staffed by patrolling rangers who work tirelessly, but lack any of the right equipment. Tiger Awareness provides direct support in various forms:
- Motorbikes
- Solar lights
- Mosquito nets
- Torches
- Cameras (to record activity)
- Medical checkups
- First aid kits
Phil took part in a gruelling 260km bike ride across part of India to raise some of the funds needed.
The future of tigers in the wild
I asked for Phil’s take on the recent upturn in numbers and his message is one of careful caution without complacency.
“Tiger numbers have improved in some areas yet reduced in others. We must not get complacent if we’re to keep the orange ghost in the wild. I think the most important aspects are:
- More collaboration at ground level
- Organisations working together with local communities
- More resources being made available to conserve habitat and wildlifeIf these actions can happen, then tiger numbers can stabilise over the next five years. If these do not happen then they will plummet. We’ll keep trying our best with the resources available to work with local communities and forest staff to conserve habitat, prey species and tiger…”
It reminded me of the Wes Jackson quote: “If your life’s work can be accomplished in your lifetime, you’re not thinking big enough.”
To donate, please visit justgiving.com/tigerawareness/Donate
For more information, it’s tigerawareness.co.uk
And follow at twitter.com/tigerawareness
