Days after the Government promised better forest management, media reports from Manipur talk about wanton poaching of fully grown tigers to sell their bones and skins in the international market but the Government claims that there are no Tigers in Manipur.

The Ibobi Singh Government running Manipur is accused of being inefficient and incapable of protecting even human lives leave alone lives of animals. The reports say that in many instances, people kill Tigers straying out of national parks because the animals kill their cattle which are very expensive in the hills. Since the Government does not give them any support for such incidence, villagers kill the Tigers. Poachers take advantage of this hapless situation to take as many animals as they can find.

Since Project Tiger was launched, the first census said that there were 6 Tigers in Manipur. The next census in 1989 surprised everyone by saying that 31 Tigers roamed these forests. With increased terrorism, no census was conducted in 1993 and 1997 but the 2001 census shocked everyone reporting no Tigers in that state. The Manipur Government continues with that report although independent investigations have shown the Tigers do exist in Manipur’s Tamenglong district.

Official figures say that there are 4000 Tigers in India. Wildlife experts warn that this figure is exaggerated as there is widespread poaching often with official support.