Tiger tiger, burning bright !!!

Kids for Tiger (KFT) is an NGO aiming to create awareness among the masses regarding the need for protection of tigers and other wildlife. It holds a national camp every year, each time in different parts of the nation. Children from various regions are selected to be ‘Tiger Ambassadors’, for attending the camp and then spreading conservation messages.

This year, I was selected to be part of this camp, which was held at the Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan. I was accompanied by Ramananda Haloi Sir as an escort teacher from our school.

Our trip began on April 9 from the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport. We were accompanied by another team from Assam. We reached Delhi and then boarded a train to Sawai Madhopur. We reached the next morning, at 5.50 a.m. We were put up in a comfortable resort, very close to the forest.

Our first safari started that day around 2.30 p.m. We were lucky enough to spot a tiger on the first day itself! We also spotted other mammals, such as a variety of deer, crocodiles and about 80 species of birds, some of which are very rare! There were two more safaris organised the very next day and even that day, we spotted two female tigers, along with their cubs. We later learnt that they had names assigned to them. One tigress was called Arrow Head and two others were Noor and Aisha. We, on the whole, spotted 10 tigers during our safaris.

We also had to attend many lecture sessions regarding wildlife conservation issues, examine various case studies and also learn about the lifecycle of tigers. There were many interactive sessions, too, where we shared our experiences. Our national camp ended officially on April 13, with a Nature walk and a thanksgiving speech.

This trip has been one worth remembering. Though it ended, but along with it, began a long and tough journey to protect wildlife. It’s a journey which no one can complete but if we all start to do our own bit, then saving such a majestic beast will not be an impossible task. So, the pledge that I took there was:

“Apna farz nibhayenge, Tiger ko bachayenge.”