India wants old soldiers to earn stripes saving tigers

Nov. 3, 2007, 12:27AM
India wants old soldiers to earn stripes saving tigers

Associated Press

NEW DELHI — The Indian government wants to recruit retired soldiers to patrol tiger sanctuaries in the hopes of saving the last of the cats after an official report confirmed a drastic drop in wild tiger numbers.

Conservationists on Friday praised the decision, saying that at least Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his government were finally taking the plight of the beleaguered tiger seriously.

The plan was among a series of proposals presented Thursday by the government-run Wildlife Institute of India to the National Wildlife Board, which Singh chairs, as part of a two-year survey on India's tigers.

The report confirmed findings that there are no more than 1,500 tigers in India's reserves and jungles, down from about 3,600 five years ago and an estimated 100,000 a century ago.

More:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/5270062.html

I hope they can save these magnificent creatures from evil poachers!!!!!

:thumbsup: