itsgs's review
5.0
Published in 2013 but just as relevant a decade later, Tigers Forever chronicles the challenges faced by the global conservation efforts for tigers. This is no photo book with pretty pictures of tigers in the wild (though it does have those). Most of the content is hard-hitting ground truths about why conserving this majestic big cat is a hard thing to do, and why, despite all odds, we must try our best anyway.
The book is structured by geography, with chapters on Sumatra, Thailand, Myanmar, and two chapters dedicated to the tigers of India. What struck me most about the book was how unique the challenges to conservation efforts in each place is, although the biggest drivers are common. The chapters on Sumatra and Thailand were especially sobering.
Some of the things that stood out to me in the book:
- Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the single biggest reason we have a demand for tiger parts. China has no tigers left, and poaching in EVERY other nation is to fuel this demand. In fact, it is not a stretch to say TCM is the major reason tiger conservation is so hard (Incidentally, it is also the reason conservation of rhino is hard). This demand is also the reason there are tiger farms in East Asia. Tiger farms do exactly what they sound like they do - tigers are bred (farmed) in captivity, live in horrendous conditions often behind a façade of conservation (like at the Tiger Temple in Thailand), and are harvested for their parts. Sounds bad? Here is worse - this is LEGAL in East Asia.
- You can clearly see the effects of overpopulation stretching the demand for earth's resources playing out. This is clearest in Sumatra and India.
In Sumatra, Indonesians "transmigrate" -relocate from other islands (that have already stretched out their resources) and clear out the Sumatran forests bit by bit to plant grains and palm oil. They live off the land, which means they compete with tigers for the meat of prey animals, and set snares to protect their crops. They are poor, good people, and want the tigers to survive, but the conflicting demands of making a living make this hard. There is the story of a man who set snares to protect his crops from wild animals that stayed with me. Tiger cubs, with their small legs, get caught in these snares often - a cub who was caught in this man's snare could be saved, but its leg had to be amputated. Steven Winter's photography chronicles both this cub, and the man who was visibly upset and started taking down all his snares when he found out.
In India, the burgeoning population stretches all the way into the park boundaries. Tigers cross these boundaries often, and the conflict over domestic animals is all too real.
- Poverty drives many of the men on the ground to do what they do. Winter's photography captures 2 poaching incidents that are etched in my mind: a) In Myanmar, 2 poachers killed a bear, whose value ends up being $8 - just $2 per paw. b) In Sumatra, a poacher took the risk of killing a tiger in a zoo and when caught later confessed to having done so for a meager $100.
-But these men are replaceable cogs in the grand poaching machinery. The kingpins of international trade in animal parts tend to be the same ones fueling drug trade and terrorism. Which means, this is war. Armed patrols are necessary to protect the tiger, and this has been successful in Thailand and India.
- And lastly but perhaps most importantly, when it comes to conservation efforts, it is easy to be disheartened. After all, successes will definitely be fewer than failures, and you will definitely be helplessly watching more often than not when horrible things happen to the animals you dearly love, or legislations are passed that will deplete more resources. The book has the story of Thai conservationist Seub Nakhasathien who killed himself out of despair - he lacked money and resources and had little support from higher-ups, he was helpless as the forests and animals he loved continued to disappear. But ultimately, his death resulted in galvanization of public support and resulted in some of his conservation goals being met. So, I guess the lesson is you have to steel yourself and fight a never-ending battle. These quotes from conservationists sum it up well:
"I learned long ago that conservation has no victories. It is a never ending process that each of us must take part in" - Wildlife biologist Dr. George Schaller
"If conservation biologists fail to respond, there will be plenty of economists, developers, industrialists, and others jostling to offer their advice. Who will speak for biodiversity?" - Tiger biologist Sanjay Gubbi, quoting ecologist Reed Noss in urging action vs. passivity
"I know WPSI has played a primary role in exposing the problem (of poaching), but we have not been able to stop the killings. For this, I feel a deep sense of despair and failure. But, to the day I die, I'll fight for the tiger." - Wildlife crime investigator Belinda Wright
This is the first book I have read with photojournalism combined with investigative text and I really liked the format.
The book is structured by geography, with chapters on Sumatra, Thailand, Myanmar, and two chapters dedicated to the tigers of India. What struck me most about the book was how unique the challenges to conservation efforts in each place is, although the biggest drivers are common. The chapters on Sumatra and Thailand were especially sobering.
Some of the things that stood out to me in the book:
- Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the single biggest reason we have a demand for tiger parts. China has no tigers left, and poaching in EVERY other nation is to fuel this demand. In fact, it is not a stretch to say TCM is the major reason tiger conservation is so hard (Incidentally, it is also the reason conservation of rhino is hard). This demand is also the reason there are tiger farms in East Asia. Tiger farms do exactly what they sound like they do - tigers are bred (farmed) in captivity, live in horrendous conditions often behind a façade of conservation (like at the Tiger Temple in Thailand), and are harvested for their parts. Sounds bad? Here is worse - this is LEGAL in East Asia.
- You can clearly see the effects of overpopulation stretching the demand for earth's resources playing out. This is clearest in Sumatra and India.
In Sumatra, Indonesians "transmigrate" -relocate from other islands (that have already stretched out their resources) and clear out the Sumatran forests bit by bit to plant grains and palm oil. They live off the land, which means they compete with tigers for the meat of prey animals, and set snares to protect their crops. They are poor, good people, and want the tigers to survive, but the conflicting demands of making a living make this hard. There is the story of a man who set snares to protect his crops from wild animals that stayed with me. Tiger cubs, with their small legs, get caught in these snares often - a cub who was caught in this man's snare could be saved, but its leg had to be amputated. Steven Winter's photography chronicles both this cub, and the man who was visibly upset and started taking down all his snares when he found out.
In India, the burgeoning population stretches all the way into the park boundaries. Tigers cross these boundaries often, and the conflict over domestic animals is all too real.
- Poverty drives many of the men on the ground to do what they do. Winter's photography captures 2 poaching incidents that are etched in my mind: a) In Myanmar, 2 poachers killed a bear, whose value ends up being $8 - just $2 per paw. b) In Sumatra, a poacher took the risk of killing a tiger in a zoo and when caught later confessed to having done so for a meager $100.
-But these men are replaceable cogs in the grand poaching machinery. The kingpins of international trade in animal parts tend to be the same ones fueling drug trade and terrorism. Which means, this is war. Armed patrols are necessary to protect the tiger, and this has been successful in Thailand and India.
- And lastly but perhaps most importantly, when it comes to conservation efforts, it is easy to be disheartened. After all, successes will definitely be fewer than failures, and you will definitely be helplessly watching more often than not when horrible things happen to the animals you dearly love, or legislations are passed that will deplete more resources. The book has the story of Thai conservationist Seub Nakhasathien who killed himself out of despair - he lacked money and resources and had little support from higher-ups, he was helpless as the forests and animals he loved continued to disappear. But ultimately, his death resulted in galvanization of public support and resulted in some of his conservation goals being met. So, I guess the lesson is you have to steel yourself and fight a never-ending battle. These quotes from conservationists sum it up well:
"I learned long ago that conservation has no victories. It is a never ending process that each of us must take part in" - Wildlife biologist Dr. George Schaller
"If conservation biologists fail to respond, there will be plenty of economists, developers, industrialists, and others jostling to offer their advice. Who will speak for biodiversity?" - Tiger biologist Sanjay Gubbi, quoting ecologist Reed Noss in urging action vs. passivity
"I know WPSI has played a primary role in exposing the problem (of poaching), but we have not been able to stop the killings. For this, I feel a deep sense of despair and failure. But, to the day I die, I'll fight for the tiger." - Wildlife crime investigator Belinda Wright
This is the first book I have read with photojournalism combined with investigative text and I really liked the format.
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