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Taj Safaris initiates a campaign to save tigers
On the eve of International World Tiger Day, Taj Safari has initiated a digital campaign to create a buzz on the importance of saving tigers.
According to a recent report, there are only 3,200-3,500 tigers surviving across the top 13 tiger range countries. The number, claim analysts, was more than 40,000 at the start of the century, a fact which undoubtedly set the alarm bells ringing quite some time ago. Joining the many endeavours launched to save tigers, Taj Safaris has now launched #StriveforStripes, a digital campaign that aims to gather all likeminded people and create a buzz on the importance of saving tigers.
In the second phase of the campaign, the company organised a chat with naturalist Bittu Sahgal, editor, Sanctuary Asia Magazine, where people could ask questions on the legal issues involved and how they can contribute to the cause.
Speaking about the campaign, Mridula Tangirala, director, operations, Taj Safaris, says that the initiative attempts two tasks. Firstly, to save the tigers and preserve the ecosystem and secondly, to uplift the local communities who stay nearby tiger conservation parks by providing them jobs and education.
She elaborates that there are two kinds of threats to tigers. One is from poaching, which is supported by an international network and second is the shrinking habitats that force the animal to attack locals in the nearby areas, destroy crops and kill people. To prevent such incidences, the organisation has started several programmes under which it not just trains the local people but also makes them self-dependent.
She adds that Taj Safaris provides LPG connections to the local people where the company has its accommodations, to reduce local dependence on forest fuel. It also provides training in different vocations such as hospitality, cooking, bee-keeping, gardening, farming and others.
In the third phase of this campaign, social activists, experts and common people will share their success stories.
Save the Tiger is another such campaign that is making a similar attempt.
Taj Safaris began its operations in 2006 and is a joint venture between Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces and & Beyond. It offers India's first and only wildlife circuit. The first lodge in this circuit, Mahua Kothi, opened for guests on November 1, 2006; after which three more lodges were added to the portfolio, including Baghvan (Pench National Park), Pashan Garh (Panna National Park) and Banjaar Tola (Kanha National Park), completing the tiger circuit on February 18, 2009.