Tribals join in tiger conservation in Kanha national park

Kanha: From being tiger worshippers to guardians of the wildlife, the Baiga tribe of MP are playing a vital role in tiger conservation by helping forest officials in providing protection to the big cats and other wild animals living in the Kanha National Park.
Members of the Baiga tribe, a semi-nomadic tribe of central India that is reliant on the forest, had been living in 28 villages within the Kanha National Park until 1968, after which they were relocated.
The relocation was part of an effort to maintain a critical tiger habitat. In 2014, hundreds of Baiga tribals were evicted from the Kanha Tiger Reserve - home of Rudyard Kipling's 'Jungle Book.'
However, the tribe continues to be the lifeline of the forest and the forest officials continue to depend on the experience and acumen of tribals here for tiger conservation and wildlife protection. "Without the cooperation of the tribals, there is no way that tigers could flourish in these jungles. It is because of their experience and help that we are able to protect our tigers better," says J S Chauhan, Field Director of Kanha National Park. PTI