Battling India’s Illegal Tiger Trade | National Geographic

people need to know how Tigers are

people need to know how Tigers are killed it is such a brutal process and

killed it is such a brutal process and

killed it is such a brutal process and this is just the first stage this

this is just the first stage this

this is just the first stage this instance which is a tigress who was

instance which is a tigress who was

instance which is a tigress who was caught in a trap was was one of the

caught in a trap was was one of the

caught in a trap was was one of the things that inspired me to become a

things that inspired me to become a

things that inspired me to become a full-time activist I was just so shocked

full-time activist I was just so shocked

full-time activist I was just so shocked and disturbed by the fact that this

and disturbed by the fact that this

and disturbed by the fact that this tigress had to suffer such extreme pain

I became interested in the old issue

I became interested in the old issue wildlife crime and poaching because of

wildlife crime and poaching because of

wildlife crime and poaching because of Tigers and I lived and I still have a

Tigers and I lived and I still have a

Tigers and I lived and I still have a home there in central India and that the

home there in central India and that the

home there in central India and that the Tigers that I knew really well and as I

Tigers that I knew really well and as I

Tigers that I knew really well and as I was photographing and so on suddenly

was photographing and so on suddenly

was photographing and so on suddenly started disappearing they just vanished

started disappearing they just vanished

started disappearing they just vanished and the tribals there told me that

and the tribals there told me that

and the tribals there told me that people were coming from outside and

people were coming from outside and

people were coming from outside and asking them questions about the Tigers

asking them questions about the Tigers

asking them questions about the Tigers and and asking them to help kill them I

and and asking them to help kill them I

and and asking them to help kill them I spent six weeks touring Central India

spent six weeks touring Central India

spent six weeks touring Central India and pretending to be a buyer just to see

and pretending to be a buyer just to see

and pretending to be a buyer just to see what the situation was and I was offered

what the situation was and I was offered

what the situation was and I was offered Yeti but thirty-six freshly killed

Yeti but thirty-six freshly killed

Yeti but thirty-six freshly killed Tigers the reason why wild Tigers are

Tigers the reason why wild Tigers are

Tigers the reason why wild Tigers are being killed in India is because of the

being killed in India is because of the

being killed in India is because of the demand for tiger parts in China

demand for tiger parts in China

demand for tiger parts in China unfortunately we have his long porous

unfortunately we have his long porous

unfortunately we have his long porous border with Nepal with China and with

border with Nepal with China and with

border with Nepal with China and with Myanmar and these routes are about five

Myanmar and these routes are about five

Myanmar and these routes are about five or six major smuggling routes are really

or six major smuggling routes are really

or six major smuggling routes are really very easy we forget that wildlife crime

very easy we forget that wildlife crime

very easy we forget that wildlife crime is the fourth largest illegal occupation

is the fourth largest illegal occupation

is the fourth largest illegal occupation in the world and it’s a trade that’s

in the world and it’s a trade that’s

in the world and it’s a trade that’s worth 19 to 20 billion dollars I had to

worth 19 to 20 billion dollars I had to

worth 19 to 20 billion dollars I had to prove to people and prove to the

prove to people and prove to the

prove to people and prove to the government that this really was a huge

government that this really was a huge

government that this really was a huge problem otherwise nobody would believe

problem otherwise nobody would believe

problem otherwise nobody would believe you

but then after a few months of chasing

but then after a few months of chasing these criminals and documenting all this

these criminals and documenting all this

these criminals and documenting all this information I realized I had to have an

information I realized I had to have an

information I realized I had to have an organization behind me I formed the why

organization behind me I formed the why

organization behind me I formed the why life Protection Society of India any

life Protection Society of India any

life Protection Society of India any news and any other Tiger bones as well

so this is a tiger trap that’s been used

so this is a tiger trap that’s been used and received by the police oh yeah first

and received by the police oh yeah first

and received by the police oh yeah first partner the buffer zone of Geneva it is

partner the buffer zone of Geneva it is

partner the buffer zone of Geneva it is just a crude contraption see it’s not

just a crude contraption see it’s not

just a crude contraption see it’s not made in any factory but no tiger can

made in any factory but no tiger can

made in any factory but no tiger can survive this no tiger can escape from

survive this no tiger can escape from

survive this no tiger can escape from this path they have brilliant knowledge

this path they have brilliant knowledge

this path they have brilliant knowledge of Tigers behavior the moment the tiger

of Tigers behavior the moment the tiger

of Tigers behavior the moment the tiger steps on a trap it gets trapped then

steps on a trap it gets trapped then

steps on a trap it gets trapped then they would approach the tiger and spirit

they would approach the tiger and spirit

they would approach the tiger and spirit in the throat – I’m silence it and they

in the throat – I’m silence it and they

in the throat – I’m silence it and they just Club it to death with sticks then

just Club it to death with sticks then

just Club it to death with sticks then they’ll hit the tiger on the skull and

they’ll hit the tiger on the skull and

they’ll hit the tiger on the skull and the backbone but they don’t want the

the backbone but they don’t want the

the backbone but they don’t want the skin to be damaged mostly the organised

skin to be damaged mostly the organised

skin to be damaged mostly the organised poachers are nomadic in nature so we

poachers are nomadic in nature so we

poachers are nomadic in nature so we really have to have very good informants

really have to have very good informants

really have to have very good informants who keep a track of movement of poachers

who keep a track of movement of poachers

who keep a track of movement of poachers all over the country and the informants

all over the country and the informants

all over the country and the informants many times generate very good leads

many times generate very good leads

many times generate very good leads about what the poachers are up to we

about what the poachers are up to we

about what the poachers are up to we have a secret information reward scheme

have a secret information reward scheme

have a secret information reward scheme for giving any piece of information

for giving any piece of information

for giving any piece of information leading to poaching and the rewards

leading to poaching and the rewards

leading to poaching and the rewards range from five thousand rupees to

range from five thousand rupees to

range from five thousand rupees to fifteen thousand rupees depending on the

fifteen thousand rupees depending on the

fifteen thousand rupees depending on the nature of the information the Indian

nature of the information the Indian

nature of the information the Indian government has spent a phenomenal amount

government has spent a phenomenal amount

government has spent a phenomenal amount of money on tiger protection I think

of money on tiger protection I think

of money on tiger protection I think that the figure is something like 120

that the figure is something like 120

that the figure is something like 120 million dollars in the past five years

million dollars in the past five years

million dollars in the past five years one thing for sure is that this

one thing for sure is that this

one thing for sure is that this unrelenting pressure for for tiger parts

unrelenting pressure for for tiger parts

unrelenting pressure for for tiger parts has something has to be done about it

has something has to be done about it

has something has to be done about it and it’s coming from one place and

and it’s coming from one place and

and it’s coming from one place and that’s China unless the world can

that’s China unless the world can

that’s China unless the world can persuade China to ban all trade in tiger

persuade China to ban all trade in tiger

persuade China to ban all trade in tiger parts from all sources whether its

parts from all sources whether its

parts from all sources whether its captive or wild I think it will be very

captive or wild I think it will be very

captive or wild I think it will be very very difficult for wild tigers to to

very difficult for wild tigers to to

very difficult for wild tigers to to survive for generations to come