Etwas Gedanken
The Tale of the Tiger
Here comes 2010, another brand new year
As per the Chinese zodiac, the Year of the Tiger is here
The global tiger population's been dwindling for some time
Destructive nature of man's activities has been the main crime
In China, Malaya and Sumatra, tigers would once abound
Reliable sources indicate they might no longer be around
It is actually quite ironic and downright dismal
The Royal Bengal Tiger is in fact, India's national animal
And yet, things have continually gone from bad to worse
A collective effort is urgently needed in order to reverse
Of all esteemed qualities, the tiger makes no compromise
It is endowed with great agility, strength and size
The largest have measured over 3 meters from head to tail
The heaviest one documented was a 380 kilo male
An adept tree climber and even a famous swimmer
Capable to hunt in the light of a just faint glimmer
Luminous eyes and distinct stripes never cease to amaze
Richest of tributes have been penned in its praise
The most famous of them is probably by William Blake
Reckoning such a creature He would be proud to make
But over the decades their population took a blow
Mostly due to hunters who thought themselves macho
In the orient, pelt, skin and bones were in demand
It was years before tiger parts trade was banned
As the orient grew wealthy, illicit demand surged
Even poor tribals and forest dwellers were urged
Vengefully aided by villagers who had lost livestock
Rarely, if ever, are the culprits ever brought to dock
There have been several gory incidents in the past
Poachers resorting to gunfire and then getting away fast
They even killed forest rangers and taken hostages
They have stolen equipment and inflicted grave damages
With only 3200 left in the wild and steadily declining
Is there a distinct although tiny silver lining?
There still are a number of dedicated rangers
Humble men who stand undaunted by the dangers
Some have served faithfully for over thirty years
Ex army men for whom poachers hold no fears
Also passionate volunteers sensitive to animal distress
Joining hands together, could they possibly deliver success?
There are tremendous pressures the tiger must cope
But then they say that the desperate never shun hope
Tigers are up twenty percent at the Jim Corbett Reserve
As of today, new cubs and tigers one can observe
But one thing is sure, if all conservation efforts fail
It will be a shameful, whimpering end to this majestic tale
As per the Chinese zodiac, the Year of the Tiger is here
The global tiger population's been dwindling for some time
Destructive nature of man's activities has been the main crime
In China, Malaya and Sumatra, tigers would once abound
Reliable sources indicate they might no longer be around
It is actually quite ironic and downright dismal
The Royal Bengal Tiger is in fact, India's national animal
And yet, things have continually gone from bad to worse
A collective effort is urgently needed in order to reverse
Of all esteemed qualities, the tiger makes no compromise
It is endowed with great agility, strength and size
The largest have measured over 3 meters from head to tail
The heaviest one documented was a 380 kilo male
An adept tree climber and even a famous swimmer
Capable to hunt in the light of a just faint glimmer
Luminous eyes and distinct stripes never cease to amaze
Richest of tributes have been penned in its praise
The most famous of them is probably by William Blake
Reckoning such a creature He would be proud to make
But over the decades their population took a blow
Mostly due to hunters who thought themselves macho
In the orient, pelt, skin and bones were in demand
It was years before tiger parts trade was banned
As the orient grew wealthy, illicit demand surged
Even poor tribals and forest dwellers were urged
Vengefully aided by villagers who had lost livestock
Rarely, if ever, are the culprits ever brought to dock
There have been several gory incidents in the past
Poachers resorting to gunfire and then getting away fast
They even killed forest rangers and taken hostages
They have stolen equipment and inflicted grave damages
With only 3200 left in the wild and steadily declining
Is there a distinct although tiny silver lining?
There still are a number of dedicated rangers
Humble men who stand undaunted by the dangers
Some have served faithfully for over thirty years
Ex army men for whom poachers hold no fears
Also passionate volunteers sensitive to animal distress
Joining hands together, could they possibly deliver success?
There are tremendous pressures the tiger must cope
But then they say that the desperate never shun hope
Tigers are up twenty percent at the Jim Corbett Reserve
As of today, new cubs and tigers one can observe
But one thing is sure, if all conservation efforts fail
It will be a shameful, whimpering end to this majestic tale
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The Tale of the Tiger
The Tale of the Tiger
