Thus, through initiatives such as cultural fairs and food festivals, local women are being integrated into the tourism trade by teaching them to market indigenous products like tribal handicrafts and local cuisine. ‘‘We train them how to refine their products and add more market value without losing their originality,’’ Kumar says.

Workshops are also being conducted for local forest guides. ‘‘Since these areas are primarily tiger reserves, tour guides restrict themselves to speaking on this ‘glamour species’, because that is what tourists want to see,’’ says Kumar. To provide incentives, tour guides take an exam at the end of the sessions, and increased knowledge is linked to increments in their income.

‘‘Thus by linking livelihood needs of the people to biodiversity and conservation, the local community also has an interest in preserving the forests,’’ says Kumar. Ultimately, at the heart of BVIEER’s multi-pronged project is conservation of the tiger, by fostering a comprehensive understanding of the larger picture: interdependence in the ecosystem.

‘‘After all, saving the tiger is not just about saving one species, but the entire ecosystem, since the tiger is at the apex of the food chain,’’ says Bharucha.

With tiger conservation becoming a major issue of concern, Bharucha says alternative solutions need to be sought. ‘‘Poaching of tigers cannot be stopped, because of its high value thanks to the use of tiger bones in Chinese medicines. Thus it is only by mobilising mass public opinion that a change can be brought about,’’ he says.