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About the Author Billy Arjan Singh, a scion of a princely family, took to hunting at a very young age, but circumstances and his own character led him to a different path altogether. For several years he shared his world with leopards--first Prince and then the twins, Harriet and Juliette; the tigress, Tara; and Eelie, the mongrel who came into his life as a stray and stayed for the rest of her life as a companion to him as well as the cats. Billy has been based since 1959 in Tiger Haven, his farm in Uttar Pradesh, close to the border of Nepal. Surrounding his land on three sides is Dudhwa National Park, the wildlife sanctuary he almost single-handedly established, and which is amongst the few remaining refuges for swampdeer. It is here that he has extensively studied the varied wildlife of the area, especially the tiger. His experiments with re-introducing in the wild captive-bred carnivores--especially the zoo-born tigress, Tara--have no parallel in Asia, and his degree of success with the leopard is unique. Product Description of a life spent in a uniquely single-minded championing of the cause of conservation. A scion of a princely house, Billy Arjan Singh took to hunting at a very young age, but circumstances and his own character led him to a different path altogether. He has been based since 1959 in Tiger Haven, his farm in Uttar Pradesh close to the border of Nepal. Surrounding his land on three sides is Dudhwa National Park, this wildlife sanctuary he almost single-handedly established, which is among the few remaining refuges for swampdeer. Here he has extensively studied the varied wildlife of the area, especially the tiger. His experiments of re-introducing in the wild captive-bred carnivores, especially the zoo-born tigress Tara, have no parallel in Asia; and his degree of success with the leopard is unique. The book highlights the problems afflicting efforts to create a national park in a developing country and implement conservation measures in general.
This work investigates the practical challenges and ecological imperatives of establishing wildlife sanctuaries within developing nations through the lens of a lifelong conservationist. The author, Billy Arjan Singh, draws upon decades of personal experience managing Tiger Haven in Uttar Pradesh to argue for the necessity of hands-on, localized intervention in habitat preservation. By documenting his unique experiments in reintroducing captive-bred carnivores to the wild, he provides a framework for understanding the complex relationship between human development and apex predator survival.
What You Will Find
Experts recognize this text as a foundational account of individual-led conservation efforts in 20th-century India. Readers frequently note the author's candid reflection on his transition from a hunter to a protector, which provides a unique historical perspective on wildlife management.
Page Count:
226
Publication Date:
2005-01-06
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0195650948
ISBN-13:
9780195650945
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