Tiger and tourism

So we lose one more tiger to tourism. It was morning safari time at Bandhavgarh
National Park on 19^th May 2010 when some tourist vehicles saw a tigress at road side, in pain or not they were not sure but it was agitated of something and was charging on vehicles approaching. Some say it was limping and had blood on its nose and face.

1 Tiger with flehman face

One forest vehicle had crashed to a watch tower while backing and the vehicle driver is said to claim that this tigress had suddenly charged on them and so they had to retreat and in speed they bumped into this tower.

Tourist vehicle drivers and guide say that they had informed the department that the tigress is hurt and in pain but no immediate action was taken. Someone said the department was busy with some politician's son, you understand VVIP duty, well humans are VVIP's and tigers not, ministers and their family can help in getting good postings and all but will tiger help? So why waste time on them? Field director was not available as he had gone to state capital of Bhopal to attend some meeting.

2 Tiger on the move

So many stories and rumors started that everything became more confusing, no one knew what happened or was this a way of creating confusion and gaining time? A few stories I heard are:

1. Two tourist vehicles saw this tigress and called other vehicles who were at a distance, they sped through the forest (although the speed limit is 20 Km max) and suddenly this tigress moved on to the road and ----------------.
   
2. This tigress had eaten a porcupine a day earlier and so was in pain since one quail had pierced on its foot, so it was irritated and with tourist vehicle flocking around it moved on to a waterhole nearby where it drowned, well never heard of tigers drowning but ----------.
   
3. In continuation to story no. 1 three vehicles immediately left the park after the accident and one left behind to see what happens. Well they saw that tigress died -------------.
   
4. The forest vehicle actually met with an accident and dashed into the tigress, they tried to escape and crashed into the watch tower, they escaped and tigress escaped forever----------.
   
5. The vehicle which actually met with this accident was being driven by some high profile politician and so do not even expect any action against anyone and please stop asking of what happened those poor forest people will have to take action against someone and some poor guy will be made the culprit. Can't you keep silent, tigress has died now what can be done---------.
   

3 Tiger at water hole

Post mortem has been done and it is clear that the tigress died due to accident with some vehicle since it has internal injuries and fractures, but will our forensic experts or the department will ever be able to catch the culprit.

I am in favor of tourism in Tiger reserves but this kind of tourism? This is second incident in Bandhavgarh national park in last few years, why Bandhavgarh? They allow 45 vehicles in Bandhavgarh, 160 in Kanha and this they say is the carrying capacity of the park but we have so many resorts and hotels and total rooms can accommodate twice or more tourists. Earlier we had enough free space now resorts are coming up in corridor areas, they have no waste disposal system, no ethical working, why do we need tourism of this kind?

I keep silent but am not comfortable from inside, what can be done, no proof, no one knows what happened, well only the culprits can tell the whole real story and they will never come forward so just forget it, we have lost a tigress but does someone care.