| Synopsis: |
The four books that comprise Tigers and Tiger-Wallahs constitute a chronicle of the struggle to save this endangered species, told largely in the words of some of the extraordinary men who helped to wage it: Jim Corbett, Billy Arjan Singh, Valmik Thapar, and Geoffrey Ward. Jim Corbett, Man-Eaters of Kumaon: Jim Corbett's books on man-eating tigers are not only established classics, but also almost in a separate literary category by themselves. Man-Eaters of Kumaon is the best known of Colonel Corbett's books, and contains ten fascinating stories of tracking and shooting man-eaters in the Indian Himalaya during the early years of this century. The stories also contain incidental information on flora, fauna and village life, making this book delightful reading. Billy Arjan Singh, Tiger Haven: This book is the story of the work of one man, Billy Arjan Singh, to protect Indian wildlife in one small area. Tiger Haven, in the Himalayan foothills, shelters one of the last remaining large herds of swampdeer in the world, and it is here that Billy Arjan Singh has studed the chital, sambhar, leopard, marsh crocodile, hogdeer, and, above all, the tiger.His observations, made over a long period at Tiger Haven, make fascinating reading. Valmik Thapar, The Secret Life of Tigers: Thapar has been able to document the family life of three tigresses and their cubs at every stage of the cubs' development, from soon after birth to adulthood. He has made some extraordinary discoveries about the lives of tigers, including the role of the father, which has been recorded for the very first time. Previously thought to play no part in rearing their cubs, the author documents male tigers in the role of father with all three tigresses. Geoffrey C. Ward and Diane Raines Ward, Tiger Wallahs: Saving the Greatest of the Great Cats: For many years, historian and screen writer Geoffrey C. Ward and his wife, Diane Ward have been visiting Indian jungles, drawn by their beauty, and the mystery and power of the great endangered predator that has always ruled them-the tiger. In this very personal book, they combine history, biography and first-hand reporting to evoke the special appeal of India's forests.They also describe some encounters with the 'Tiger wallas'-such as Jim Corbett, Billy Arjan Singh, Fateh Singh Rathore and Valmik Thapar-who have struggled against overwhelming odds to save the species from extinction. Evocative and well-illustrated, this book documents the conflicts that plague efforts to save the species, and is for general readers as well as wild life enthusiasts. |