Tiger, on its last leg

The Observer

Conservationists believe the number of tigers left in India may be little over half the official tally and that at the present rate of decline, the tiger will cease to be a viable wild species in India within five years, writes Gethin Chamberlain The poachers perch on the rough platforms they have built in the trees, waiting for the tiger to come. They have been searching the forests of Ranthambhore reserve for days, following the pug marks and other tell-tale signs. When they found the fresh kill, they knew it would only be a matter of time before the tiger returned to eat. They placed their traps on the path, scattering small stones across the sandy soil, knowing that tigers hate to walk on them and will pick their way around. The tiger pads forward into the trap, which springs shut with a snap. Desperate to free itself, the tiger thrashes around. Another foot catches in another trap, then a third. The poachers watch to make sure it cannot free itself. One man carries a bamboo stick into which he has poured molten lead to give it more weight. The other has a spear on the end of a 10ft pole. As the tiger opens its mouth, the poacher with the spear lunges forward, stabbing between its open jaws. His colleague smashes the tiger over the head with the stick. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/58279/tiger-its-last-leg.html