IN a welcome move, Madhya Pradesh (mp) has been proclaimed a 'Tiger state' to give more thrust to its tiger protection programme. Declaring this on June 25, the state minister for forests, B R Yadav, remarked that the decision, which would go a long way in providing protection not only to the animal but also to its habitat, was taken in view of the fact that mp is home to almost 1/6th of the world's tiger population.

Programmes undertaken to protect the tiger will be funded by the Centre with the state government's planning and implementation. Poaching is rife in MP; instead of using firearms, poachers now resort to poison. Tigers normally gorge part of their prey and hide the rest under bushes, pending dinner the next day. Poachers hire locals to track down half-eaten carcasses and poison it. Even waterholes are rendered lethal.