By Dr. Corinne Taylor-Smith | Project Leader
Winter seems to have arrived quickly this year, perhaps this is due to an unusually long monsoon season or maybe it is because so much is happening right now? Over the last few months your support has been truly amazing, and your donations have ensured that we can continue our efforts to give wild tigers the wild futures they deserve!
When I wrote the previous project report, I had no idea that Bandhavgarh desperately needed a rescue vehicle for transporting wild elephants, but in July I received a phone call from one of our supporters, Paul who wanted to raise funds to buy one by walking 25 marathons in 25 days from Tigerton in Scotalnd to Tiger Bay in South Wales via the English countryside and whilst sporting a 3 metre (10 ft) model Tiger on his back! He set up a fundraiser and invited friends and others to join him on one or more marathons in a quest to raise the INR4.75million (~£47000/$63920) needed to buy and equip the vehicle so that injured wild elephants and other large animals could be safely transported and treated when veterinary treatment is required. It was a mammoth quest and thankfully, although the funds raised fell short of target, a favourable exchange rate and the generous discount offered by the suppliers in India, mean that the elephant rescue vehicle will soon be equipped and ready for use in Bandhavgarh. A huge thank you goes out to all who walked and raised funds to ensure this could happen.
To guarantee that Tigers4Ever can continue to be sustainable and ensure that those living alongside wild tigers have a reason to keep them safe we continue to support the local economy when purchasing and equipping the rescue vehicle, in addition to the clothing and other equipment needed by the brave patrollers who keep wild tigers safe, as this gives the locals employment and a vested interest in wild tiger conservation too.
Warm Winter Jackets and Powerful Waterproof Flashlights
In addition to the Elephant Rescue vehicle, the brave patrollers still need much more protective clothing and regular equipment too. Your amazing support helped us to provide warm winter jackets for 200 brave patrollers just last week, meaning that every patroller now has a warm coat which will enable them to complete their patrols on the coldest days and nights. Thank you.
Now we are turning our attention to providing at least 100 more powerful waterproof flashlights to enable more brave anti-poaching patrollers to patrol at night and when torrential rains and dark skies make daytime patrols seem like night patrols. To do this we need to raise £1650 ($2250) more to cover the cost of these. (https://goto.gg/56553).
Over the last two years you have helped us to ensure that 1104 brave men and women anti-poaching patrollers have a warm winter jacket and have helped us to provide full uniforms and sturdy boots for 650 brave patrollers who didn’t have them at all. Thank you again on behalf of them all.
Your impact is undeniable. But the need is still urgent.
Your Support is Saving Wild Tigers — One Brave Patroller at a Time
Without your incredible generosity over the past three months, more than 300 courageous men and women, the frontline tiger protectors, would have faced immense challenges in carrying out their vital work. Thanks to you, they now have the essential gear they need to patrol the forests, protect endangered wildlife, and confront danger head-on. You are making a real difference.
Your donations are not just providing equipment, they are empowering these heroes to face extreme weather, treacherous terrain, and the constant threat of poachers. For years, we’ve battled to keep pace with the urgent need for kit renewal and upgrades. With your help, we’re getting there.
Investing in Local Communities, Strengthening Conservation
At Tigers4Ever, we know that conservation must benefit local people too. That’s why we source uniforms and equipment locally, supporting jobs, boosting the economy, and giving communities a stake in protecting wild tigers. Your donations create ripples of positive change far beyond the forest.
Urgent Needs: Flashlights and Waterproofs
Right now, over 550 patrollers still lack flashlights. More than 200 waterproof clothing sets have been torn beyond repair in the dense undergrowth.
Thanks to your recent donations, we’ve provided 600 treated mosquito nets and 200 warm winter jackets, a huge win for patroller safety. But we still need to raise:
Every donation brings us closer to ensuring no patroller is left vulnerable.
Why Uniforms Matter
A uniform isn’t just clothing, it’s a symbol of authority and protection. It helps patrollers command respect and distinguish themselves from intruders. Without proper gear, their safety and effectiveness are compromised. Your support ensures they’re equipped to stand strong in the face of danger.
The Reality: Patrolling is Dangerous Work
For over a decade, our brave patrollers have ventured into the forests of Bandhavgarh. Our patrollers face daily risks, and the greatest threat isn’t wildlife, it’s people. Armed poachers, illegal loggers, and forest intruders pose real dangers. Attacks are not uncommon.
While wild animals are rarely a threat, human encounters are unpredictable and often violent. Armed intruders, illegal loggers, and poachers pose a constant risk. Our patrollers have been attacked, ambushed, and even targeted off-duty. When outnumbered, they face beatings and threats, simply for doing their job: protecting wild tigers.
To safeguard our teams, we ensure patrol vehicles are always nearby for rapid response and medical emergencies. We also train every patroller in forest safety and conflict de-escalation. Foot patrols are conducted in teams to reduce vulnerability. Still, the danger is realand growing.
Your donations are helping us protect those who protect wild tigers.
Human-Wildlife Conflict is Increasing
In the past six years, human-wildlife conflict has surged, especially due to wild elephants. These giants roam vast distances daily, consuming up to two tonnes of vegetation. In their path, they often destroy entire crops overnight, leaving devastated farmers in their wake. Tragically, some have taken their own lives, overwhelmed by loss and despair.
At Tigers4Ever, we’re working tirelessly to find solutions that protect both people and wildlife. So far, we’ve installed solar-powered streetlights at 55 key forest entry points and patrolling camps. These lights deter nocturnal predators like tigers and leopards, protect livestock, and help villagers, especially children to sleep safely at night.
But elephants are a different challenge. Their sheer size and strength make it impossible to rely solely on lighting. That’s why we’re exploring additional methods to protect vulnerable communities. We’re also planning to install solar-powered motion-sensor lights in 15 more high-risk areas, if we can raise the necessary funds. One of the most heartbreaking consequences of human-wildlife conflict is retaliatory poisoning. It’s a silent killer that doesn’t just target tigers, it devastates entire ecosystems. In the past decade, our patrols have worked relentlessly to stop this cruel practice, but recent incidents have shown how fragile those gains can be. Poisoned carcasses don’t just kill tigers; they wipe out jackals, hyenas, vultures, and countless other scavengers, birds and insects. We must act now to stop this deadly chain reaction. Our anti-poaching patrols will desperately need everything we can equip them with to fight this silent but most deadly killer!
Together, We Can Do More
The fight to protect wild tigers is ongoing. Equipment wears out. Poachers adapt. Our patrollers need modern, durable gear to stay ahead. With your continued support, we can meet these evolving challenges and ensure every patroller is safe, equipped, and ready.
Let’s make sure every brave patroller has a powerful flashlight. Let’s replace the torn waterproofs. Let’s light up the forest trails with flashlights that save lives. https://goto.gg/56553
Together, we’re not just protecting wild tigers, we are building a future where they can thrive.
The equipment needs of our patrols are constantly changing as poachers and other miscreants deploy new techniques to avoid capture or discovery. Modern patrolling equipment needs to be lighter, more versatile and more durable than before. As a result, fundraising for new and replacement equipment is a long-term project. At night, in pitch dark conditions, wooden canes, head torches and powerful flashlights are invaluable kit to provide reflections in the eyes of wild animals and of the metal from hidden snares and traps, and to provide a means of disarming those traps without losing a limb.
What we are doing and what we need
During the monsoon season, we quadruple our patrols and expand our coverage to protect dispersing sub-adult tigers. Our patrolling range has increased twice in the last 9 months to give them greater protection. We have provided 26 permanent wildlife waterholes and are working hard to deliver 2 more. These waterholes now provide life-saving water to over 130 tigers and their cubs year-round.
Our latest project, a large waterhole in the Pachpedi-Birulhi buffer zone, was delayed by the tragic poisoning of elephants and the snaring of the iconic alpha male tiger, Chota Bheem. But we’re back on track and determined to complete it soon. After that, we aim to begin work on another waterhole in the Kithauli core zone. But we can’t do it alone.
Your Impact: Real Change on the Ground
Thanks to your incredible support, we’re now patrolling an extra 1,000 km (624 miles) of wild tiger territory every month. But without essential gear, this could drop dramatically. Your donations help us:
With over 225 wild tigers relying on us, your help is more vital than ever.
Here’s how you can help:
Without your support, more tigers will die, and more human lives will be at risk. Every tiger lost increases the chance of retaliation, pushing these majestic creatures closer to extinction.
Be the Difference
Your donation today could be the difference between life and death—for a tiger, a patroller, or a family living on the forest’s edge. Every tiger, every cub, every life matters. https://goto.gg/56553 and help us keep wild tigers safe.
Thank you for standing with us in this critical fight.
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