The tiger's plight is just one result of these trends, but its future (or lack of one) has consequences which reach back all the way to effects of global significance: The tiger's position at the top of its ecosystem's food web indicates that species representing all the hierarchical 'levels' beneath it, must also be present. Hence the tiger is an index of health for the whole ecosystem. Earth's remaining forests are essential elements in global systems that support life on this planet and maintain all other areas (both cultivated and industrialised) in a variety of ways connected with temperature and climate control, water table levels and retention of nutrients and minerals. Hence tiger conservation is people conservation.

Whilst it is generally acknowledged that only political will at government level will save the tiger and forests, we believe that every effort must be made to buy the tiger 'breathing space' while lobbying in the political arena continues.

So LifeForce is making every effort in the central highlands of Madhya Pradesh and recognises that conservation will only be long term if it takes into account the needs of local people. Its work follows an holistic strategy which includes supporting the Forest Guards, providing educational and medical support to villagers and developing 'ecodevelopment' co-operative schemes between locals and the Forest Department which bring all-round benefit to all species. All of this involves living next to and talking with local people and individual Forest Guards; trying to see life and the forest and the tiger through their eyes; finding out what they need firstly, to live, and secondly, to live harmoniously with the tigers in the few remaining forests of today's world.

The current LifeForce newsletter will be published here soon!