the very first time I saw a tiger was in a stinking urine-soaked cage in a circus
a stinking urine-soaked cage in a circus
a stinking urine-soaked cage in a circus I could stand three feet away from this
I could stand three feet away from this
I could stand three feet away from this animal which was lying and just kind of
animal which was lying and just kind of
animal which was lying and just kind of looking at me stank like hell because it
looking at me stank like hell because it
looking at me stank like hell because it was in this little cage and that was the
was in this little cage and that was the
was in this little cage and that was the first Tiger I ever saw we are right now
first Tiger I ever saw we are right now
first Tiger I ever saw we are right now located in the Western Ghats one of the
located in the Western Ghats one of the
located in the Western Ghats one of the most spectacular wildlife rich
most spectacular wildlife rich
most spectacular wildlife rich biodiversity areas in the world this
biodiversity areas in the world this
biodiversity areas in the world this strip of mountains in southwestern India
strip of mountains in southwestern India
strip of mountains in southwestern India has the largest tiger population in the
has the largest tiger population in the
has the largest tiger population in the world the largest Asian elephant
world the largest Asian elephant
world the largest Asian elephant population a world and incredible amount
population a world and incredible amount
population a world and incredible amount of other biodiversity birds plants
of other biodiversity birds plants
of other biodiversity birds plants animals this is the place I grew up in
animals this is the place I grew up in
animals this is the place I grew up in it’s just an incredible place I have
it’s just an incredible place I have
it’s just an incredible place I have been working here for the past twenty
been working here for the past twenty
been working here for the past twenty five years studying Tigers their prey
five years studying Tigers their prey
five years studying Tigers their prey and their ecology Tigers are now found
and their ecology Tigers are now found
and their ecology Tigers are now found only in 7% of their former range from
only in 7% of their former range from
only in 7% of their former range from this perspective Western guards are one
this perspective Western guards are one
this perspective Western guards are one of the last strongholds of the tiger
of the last strongholds of the tiger
of the last strongholds of the tiger this is where the Tigers will probably
this is where the Tigers will probably
this is where the Tigers will probably live forever the Indian government had
live forever the Indian government had
live forever the Indian government had in the late 60s officials had developed
in the late 60s officials had developed
in the late 60s officials had developed a technique called the pod mark census
a technique called the pod mark census
a technique called the pod mark census which involved tracing tracks of Tigers
which involved tracing tracks of Tigers
which involved tracing tracks of Tigers and trying to recognize each track
and trying to recognize each track
and trying to recognize each track uniquely and doing it total count I
uniquely and doing it total count I
uniquely and doing it total count I tested this in the field and in zoos it
tested this in the field and in zoos it
tested this in the field and in zoos it didn’t work so I was very critical of it
didn’t work so I was very critical of it
didn’t work so I was very critical of it and they were one very unhappy with my
and they were one very unhappy with my
and they were one very unhappy with my criticism of the pugmark sensors but I
criticism of the pugmark sensors but I
criticism of the pugmark sensors but I also said I need to develop something
also said I need to develop something
also said I need to develop something that’s better
that’s better
that’s better criticizing a bad method is okay but how
criticizing a bad method is okay but how
criticizing a bad method is okay but how about coming up with a good one the
about coming up with a good one the
about coming up with a good one the first step was actually putting the
first step was actually putting the
first step was actually putting the camera traps out and getting pictures
camera traps out and getting pictures
camera traps out and getting pictures these automated cameras are tripped by
these automated cameras are tripped by
these automated cameras are tripped by Tigers themselves and we get these
Tigers themselves and we get these
Tigers themselves and we get these dramatic pictures of tigers we can
dramatic pictures of tigers we can
dramatic pictures of tigers we can identify each individual from its
identify each individual from its
identify each individual from its stripes I camera trap
stripes I camera trap
stripes I camera trap at eight thousand square kilometers of
at eight thousand square kilometers of
at eight thousand square kilometers of high Tiger density areas this is done
high Tiger density areas this is done
high Tiger density areas this is done year after year and as a result we have
year after year and as a result we have
year after year and as a result we have data on more than 750 Tigers that have
data on more than 750 Tigers that have
data on more than 750 Tigers that have ever lived in this landscape in the last
ever lived in this landscape in the last
ever lived in this landscape in the last decade or so you treat your photographs
decade or so you treat your photographs
decade or so you treat your photographs as samples from a population and using
as samples from a population and using
as samples from a population and using some statistical modeling you cannot
some statistical modeling you cannot
some statistical modeling you cannot just say I got 10 Tigers you can say I
just say I got 10 Tigers you can say I
just say I got 10 Tigers you can say I got 50 percent of the Tigers that are
got 50 percent of the Tigers that are
got 50 percent of the Tigers that are out there so suddenly you had a method
out there so suddenly you had a method
out there so suddenly you had a method that could tell you how many you had
that could tell you how many you had
that could tell you how many you had missed camera trapping allows us to very
missed camera trapping allows us to very
missed camera trapping allows us to very accurately monitor tiger populations
accurately monitor tiger populations
accurately monitor tiger populations find out how many there are how their
find out how many there are how their
find out how many there are how their numbers are changing how many survive
numbers are changing how many survive
numbers are changing how many survive from year to year and how many new new
from year to year and how many new new
from year to year and how many new new Tigers are entering the population this
Tigers are entering the population this
Tigers are entering the population this is really critical to know whether your
is really critical to know whether your
is really critical to know whether your efforts to save them are succeeding or
efforts to save them are succeeding or
efforts to save them are succeeding or failing this this is an audit it’s an
failing this this is an audit it’s an
failing this this is an audit it’s an ecological audit the number of tigers
ecological audit the number of tigers
ecological audit the number of tigers indicates how many prey animals there
indicates how many prey animals there
indicates how many prey animals there are approximately and the prey in turn
are approximately and the prey in turn
are approximately and the prey in turn indicates that the habitat is doing well
indicates that the habitat is doing well
indicates that the habitat is doing well or not so by counting Tigers we are
or not so by counting Tigers we are
or not so by counting Tigers we are getting a complete picture of the health
getting a complete picture of the health
getting a complete picture of the health of the ecosystem we don’t think of
of the ecosystem we don’t think of
of the ecosystem we don’t think of Tigers as just saving Tigers it’s about
Tigers as just saving Tigers it’s about
Tigers as just saving Tigers it’s about saving very large landscapes which have
saving very large landscapes which have
saving very large landscapes which have other species besides the tiger because
other species besides the tiger because
other species besides the tiger because the future generations have to see
the future generations have to see
the future generations have to see Tigers my granddaughter has to see a
Tigers my granddaughter has to see a
Tigers my granddaughter has to see a wild tiger sometime so Tiger
wild tiger sometime so Tiger
wild tiger sometime so Tiger conservation is about all this not just
conservation is about all this not just
conservation is about all this not just saving one animal in a cage
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