It is time we called for zero-tolerance, not just on poaching, but also on trade in all tiger parts. Why does it always take a tragedy for the system to get rolling?

On 3 June 2010, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) constituted an independent, two-member team to asses the ground situation at Simlipal Tiger Reserve in Orissa, in the wake of a recent spate of elephant deaths there. The elephant carcasses were first detected in April 2010.

The illegal trade in poached skins between India, Nepal and China is the most significant immediate threat to the continued existence of the tiger in the wild. While the importance of the problem has been recognized and plenty of information is already available, the lucrative illegal trade continues.