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Comment by ignoramous | Hacker News Reader

Astonishing. Still a long way to go, though.

> Mr Modi said the results of this tiger census would make "every Indian happy".

This isn't an exaggeration: Tigers are interwoven in to the Indian (and Bangladeshi?) psyche [0] owing mostly to the overwhelming guilt of almost singlehandedly causing extinction of these beasts. As the article states, in the 20th Century over 80,000 Tigers were killed in undivided India-- They were mostly demonised in tales of yesteryears [1] and terrorised the populace due to their aggressive behaviour and man-eating tendencies.

There's 2,900 of them now, but a long way away from 80,000. May they burn bright forever [2].

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machali_(tigress)

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shere_Khan

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tyger#Poem

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There is a slight insinuation in your comment that it was ignorant villagers who killed off large number of tigers due to population pressures. Superstition and a reaction against man-eating tigers were not the cause of the near extinction. They were intentionally hunted down by the British and the local Maharajas for "sport". Tigers were hunted mostly during the British era.

https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2014/03/10/a-concise-his...

> insinuation in your comment that it was ignorant villagers who killed

I'm sorry but I don't see which sentence makes you think that: esp the ignorant villagers part.

> hunted down by the British and the local Maharajas for "sport"

The article too points this out. And at the Raj Mahals (Palaces of the Kings) of the Mysore State there was indeed a display of photographs, pictures of Tiger kills by not just the Rajas but also by visiting dignitaries.

Additionally, it wasn't uncommon to have Tigers killed, back then, due to danger to human lives. And the Tiger hunters were celebrated heroes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Corbett#Hunting_man-eating...

> Additionally, it wasn't uncommon to have Tigers killed, back then, due to danger to human lives. And the Tiger hunters were celebrated heroes.

But then why do you say in your previous comment that there is an overwhelming sense of guilt in the public psyche? There is no such guilt; people are largely indifferent.

> But then why do you say in your previous comment that there is an overwhelming sense of guilt in the public psyche?

The amount of media coverage on Bengal Tigers, the outrage at decline in numbers in 1990s (?), the despair today when a Tiger dies in vain or is locked up [0], plus a handful of Indians commenting on their rendezvous with the beast and other related stories in this very thread speak for themselves, don't they?

All major Indian newspapers carried this bit on the front pages. And everyone I've come across has an opinion about it, I don't see the indifference that you speak of. That said, I realise that I cannot speak for the entirety of the vast Indian populace... But the signs that the majority care are ominous, to me.

[0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-24_(tiger)

If you say something weighs on the Indian psyche, it does seem that you are making a statement that holds true for a large majority of Indian people, not just a handful of individuals.

Also, why would anyone who was not directly or indirectly involved in hunting tigers feel guilty, of all things? Sad, certainly, but guilty is a stretch.

I've shared multiple links, pointed out various facts, and even called your attention to the comments in this very thread for you to guage what I mean.

If you choose to ignore that and nitpick on pedantic meaning of words, then so be it. I'm going to stop taking the bait, sorry.

> why would anyone who was not directly or indirectly involved in hunting tigers feel guilty, of all things?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guilt_(emotion)#Collective_gui...

Nitpicking? No, you made the following statement. I’m saying it is entirely false.

> This isn't an exaggeration: Tigers are interwoven in to the Indian (and Bangladeshi?) psyche [0] owing mostly to the overwhelming guilt of almost singlehandedly causing extinction of these beasts.

If there is any such thing as a general Indian psyche, it is unburdened with concerns of tigers dying off. The Indian people are more concerned with mass unemployment, droughts, floods and poverty. Also, kindly do not suggest that I’m trolling you in any way. I sincerely believe that you are making an incorrect representation about how concerned Indians are with tigers.

Your references to a Kipling story and a Blake poem are completely irrelevant. Newspapers give coverage but where is the mass outrage or outpouring of sorrow or regret? If there was any you haven’t linked to it.

> where is the mass outrage or outpouring of sorrow or regret? If there was any you haven’t linked to it.

Pls read the Wikipedia entries on Tigers, T-24 and T-16, see the referenced articles therein.

> general Indian psyche, it is unburdened with concerns of tigers dying off. The Indian people are more concerned with mass unemployment, droughts, floods and poverty.

Non sequitur.

> Your references to a Kipling story and a Blake poem are completely irrelevant.

> Also, kindly do not suggest that I’m trolling you in any way.

> I sincerely believe that you are making an incorrect representation about how concerned Indians are with tigers.

I've shared links to back my claims. And I hear your opinion loud and clear, too. Can we pls agree to disagree and put this to rest?

> people are largely indifferent.

Count me among them. While I'd be happy with rising tiger populations in specific tiger reserves, I do not want them roaming towns like leopards do these days [1][2].

[1] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/udaipur/leopard-mau...

[2] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/leopard-en...

Artificial selection pressure, to seven times never kill Man.

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