Two wild enthusiasts, Rajvardhan Sharma and Deepak Taian initiated a conservation program in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in the summer of 2006. At that time they felt a strong need to fulfil those requirements of the forest department, which weren’t met by the annual budget of the reserve. These requirements are essential as far as the safety of the tigers are concerned.

The conservation is about saving the wild heritage of India where you can still see tigers in the jungle or a herd of spotted deer gathering in the vast grassland. If this is lost something India has been identified with for time immemorial will disappear. Once the skies in India were full of vultures; hordes of them used to descend on a carcass as soon as it was detected. Within the last 20 years almost all of the vultures have been lost and the same is happening with sparrows, crows, pigeons, foxes, deer, snakes and hundreds of other species of animals including the tiger. The tiger can survive only in a perfectly balanced ecosystem where even the insignificant looking earthworm is as important as any other animal. The conservation of the tiger will naturally also give another chance to the flora and fauna of their habitat.

There were approximately 40,000 tigers in the jungles of India at the beginning of the twentieth century sadly these days this number has gone down to 1500. The unstoppable slaughter of the tigers by poachers and the mindless destruction of their habitat by the ever-increasing population are two major factors behind the rapid disappearance of the tiger from the Indian jungles. Some strict steps taken by the government coupled with constant conservation efforts can save the tiger for future generations. It is still not too late.

Tiger Guards of India help the forest department as far as protection of the tigers is concerned, by helping them and those villagers who live near the periphery of the reserve. They make donations that help to enhance anti-poaching activities. For example they have donated bicycles and motorcycles for quick patrolling and flashlights for night patrolling. The main emphasis remains on those poorly equipped 525 beat and forest guards of the reserve who are the key factor in saving the tiger. Donations have been made of high quality shoes, umbrellas, warm jackets and sweaters, also help in the modification of the hundreds of check posts with solar lights, ration boxes, basic medicines and mosquito nets.

Recently the Tiger Guards of India donated 100 torches to help the forest guards on night patrols. Now the poachers are changing their methods, and instead of trapping they electrocute tigers and leopards. These torches prove extremely important when it comes to patrolling along the firelines and game trails to find and remove live wires laid by poachers.

A tractor will also be donated by the end of 2009, which will primarily be used in the relocation of the two villages called Maghdi and Kullva Bah. The department will also use the tractor to plough the grasslands in order to grow the indigenous wild grasses.

While helping the forest department they also compensate those villagers whose cattle are killed by the tigers or leopards. The only way to prevent the killing of the tigers by the otherwise helpful villagers is speedy, easy and adequate cattle compensation. They also provide medical and educational facilities in these villages and promote their tribal culture and handicraft.