The hunt is on for the next Jim Corbett, but one without a gun. Palamau Tiger Reserve (PTR), Daltonganj, one of the original nine tiger reserves in India, will hold a story writing and a painting competition for school and college students on International Tiger Day on July 29.
But there’s a problem. Latest reports suggest that the big cat population in the lone tiger reserve in Jharkhand has reached the pits. In fact, sources say that there is probably not a single tiger present at PTR anymore.
“The tigers wouldn’t starve, right? If there were tigers in this reserve, it would hunt. And if a tiger kills a farmer’s buffalo or cattle, we would come to know about it. The farmer would seek compensation. Or at least we’d get to see pug marks. But no such things happen, which is why we believe that there are no tigers in this reserve anymore,” says D.S. Srivastava, a wildlife academician and activist based in Daltonganj.
“Villagers in and around this tiger reserve tell me about three or four tigers in this reserve, claiming to have seen them once in a blue moon. But I wonder why no PTR official makes any statement regarding the presence of tigers but gives a gole matole (confusing) answer... sometimes three, sometimes four,” he adds.
It is a tad strange that PTR is planning to celebrate International Tiger Day, also called Global Tiger Day, in unison with countries having robust tiger population such as Russia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Bhutan, China, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and Veitnam despite the fact that a tigress died in the Betla National Park that comes under PTR, this February.
That death continues to be shrouded in mystery. Was it a bison attack or a bullet injury? Or did the animal starve to death? Half a dozen quills of a porcupine were found in her oral cavity suggesting this majestic animal was probably forced to feed herself with as little a prey as the porcupine.
Unperturbed, PTR officials are, however, upbeat about the upcoming programme in which those below 14, between 15 and 18, and 19 years and above can participate. Talking about the Wednesday’s programme, deputy director of the south division of the reserve Mukesh Kumar said they expect the story to be from a “Tiger’s perspective”, with a word limit of 2,500.
Kumar added that the story must be hand-written, in English or Hindi, but not in any local dialect. Elaborating on the theme, he said that during the pandemic, human beings stayed at home for safety while in the lockdown, animals ventured out into cities and reclaimed their lost territories.
Kumar said they wanted participants to use his/her imagination.
The caption for the painting competition is “Life of a tiger in jungle”. The painting should be scanned or photographed and submitted. Entries are free, open till 6pm July 31, which is two days after International Tiger Day.
The prizes come in cash – Rs 5,000, Rs 3,000 and Rs 1,500 for first, second and third place respectively. Winners would be announced on the Facebook page of the Palamau south division tiger reserve in the first week of August.
The idea of the competition, Mukesh Kumar said was to spread awareness about tigers and wildlife among students.
