By Monica Verma | Manager
Thanks to your generous support to our appeal on GlobalGiving, we’ve been able to respond swiftly and meaningfully to urgent challenges in tiger conservation across India. Whether it’s equipping forest staff in high-risk zones, rescuing a tiger from a densely populated research campus, training frontline officers in law enforcement, or deploying an innovative approach to manager human-tiger conflict in the Nilgiris — your contribution has directly enabled real-time impact.
We’re excited to share a few powerful stories from the field — each a testament to how your support helps protect not just the Royal Bengal Tiger, but also the people and ecosystems they live alongside.
1) Rescue in Awadh: A Tiger Returns to the Wild
A few months back, a tiger was sighted within the campus of the ICAR–Institute of Subtropical Horticulture in the Awadh Forest Division, Uttar Pradesh. What followed was a coordinated and careful rescue operation by the Forest Department’s Rapid Response Team (RRT) to ensure the safety of both the tiger and the people on campus.
With your generous support, and with additional funding from the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF), WTI was able to step in and assist. Through a Rapid Action Project, 69 frontline forest staff from the Rehmankhera Rapid Response Team were equipped with essential field gear — jackets, high-intensity torches, batons, gloves, and helmets — which played a crucial role in the success of this high-risk operation.
After three months of careful monitoring, the tiger — a healthy male, estimated to be between 5 and 6 years old — was safely captured and relocated to Dudhwa National Park. No harm came to the animal or the people involved, thanks to the preparedness and dedication of the forest staff.
Thank you for standing with us. Your support not only helped ensure a safe outcome for this magnificent tiger but also strengthened the capacity of our brave frontline responders.
2) Strengthening Tiger Conservation in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh — Thanks to Your Support
Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Uttar Pradesh is one of India’s most critical tiger habitats. Strategically located within the Terai Arc Landscape, it connects with Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in the southeast, Terai East Division in the north, and Nepal’s Shuklaphanta National Park in the northeast. Home to 65 tigers, the reserve also shelters over 30 other mammal species, including the Endangered Hog Deer and Vulnerable species like Leopard, Swamp Deer, and Fishing Cat.
Thanks to the combined efforts of the Forest Department and conservation partners, Pilibhit’s tiger population has grown from 25 in 2014 to 65 in 2018. However, this success has also led to an increase in human-tiger conflict, with 51 human deaths reported between 2016 and 2024. The challenges faced by frontline forest staff are many — from inadequate resources and staff shortages to dangerous terrains and rising encounters with poachers.
Understanding the urgent need to support those on the frontlines, the Divisional Forest Officers of both Pilibhit Tiger Reserve and the Social Forestry Division approached WTI for assistance. Through your kind contributions and support from DSWF, WTI sanctioned two Rapid Action Projects (RAPs) to equip frontline staff with essential field gear.
In total, 102 forest staff members received protective and operational gear including jackets, torches, helmets, gloves, winter caps, batons, along with 8 snake rescue kits and first-aid kits. The aim was to not only boost safety and monitoring capacity, but also to raise the morale of the brave men and women working in highly demanding conditions.
A formal handover ceremony was held where gear was distributed in the presence of senior forest department officials. The forest teams expressed heartfelt thanks, highlighting how this support came at a crucial time and would greatly aid in both rescue operations and regular patrolling of the Tiger Reserve.
3) Building Capacity to Fight Wildlife Crime in Achanakmar Tiger Reserve
Achanakmar Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh, spanning over 550 sq. km, is a critical habitat for tigers in the Satpura landscape of Central India. Home to tigers, leopards, gaur, and over 200 bird species, the reserve is a biodiversity hotspot. However, its rich natural wealth has also made it increasingly vulnerable to wildlife crime, with the surrounding region fast emerging as a poaching hotspot.
Recognizing the urgent need for stronger enforcement, the Chief Conservator of Forests requested WTI to conduct a specialized wildlife crime prevention training for frontline forest staff. This became even more essential following recent amendments to India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which require updated knowledge and skills for on-ground enforcement.
Through your generous contribution and support from the Japan Tiger and Elephant Fund (JTEF), WTI’s Training Cell and Wildlife Crime Control Division delivered a 3-day training program in March 2025. The training was attended by 46 forest personnel and focused on wildlife protection laws, investigation techniques, and strategies to combat illegal wildlife trade.
To measure its effectiveness, we conducted pre- and post-training assessments. Prior to the training, only 8% of participants scored above 75%. Post-training, this number jumped to 75%, reflecting a significant improvement in understanding.
Each participant received a training kit containing a backpack, jacket, raincoat, torch, water bottle, and a handbook on the Wildlife Protection Act, along with a certificate of participation. The kits were distributed in the presence of senior forest officials. The feedback from the trainees was overwhelmingly positive. As one of the female Beat Forest Officers shared, “Learnt a lot from these training sessions, not only on wildlife crime aspects, but also on encroachment.”
4) Guard Dogs for Tigers: A Unique Solution from the Nilgiris
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, one of India’s most ecologically diverse landscapes, is home to Asian elephants, Bengal tigers, Gaurs, and rare species like the Nilgiri langur and Nilgiri tahr. It’s not just wildlife that thrives here — the reserve is also home to the Toda people, an Indigenous pastoralist community known for their rich cultural heritage and deep spiritual connection with nature.
At the heart of Toda tradition is a special breed of domesticated buffalo — the Toda buffalo — which plays a central role in their religion and way of life. The Toda community also reveres the tiger, considering it a divine protector capable of upholding justice.
However, as tiger populations have increased in the region, so have incidents of conflict, particularly the loss of Toda buffaloes to tiger attacks. While the reverence for tigers remains, these losses have created a real risk of retaliatory harm to the very species they honour.
To address this, WTI, through a Rapid Action Project (RAP) supported by your contributions and DSWF, is piloting an innovative solution — the training of guard dogs to protect the Toda buffaloes.
Three puppies are currently undergoing training with a professional handler to learn essential skills such as:
Once fully trained, these dogs will accompany grazing herds, raise alerts when a tiger is near, and help prevent conflict before it escalates.
This unique approach aims to protect both wildlife and culture — reducing buffalo losses while safeguarding tigers from possible retaliation. Your support makes innovative, community-based solutions like this possible. Thank you for standing with us as we work to ensure coexistence between people and tigers in some of India’s most fragile and sacred spaces.
Your belief in our mission is what drives these efforts. As threats to tigers evolve — from human-wildlife conflict to illegal trade — the need for rapid, community-sensitive, and science-backed responses becomes more urgent.
From all of us at Wildlife Trust of India, thank you once again for being a vital part of this journey. Together, we’re making the wild a little safer for tigers and for those who protect them.
Warm regards,
Team WTI
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