SAVING THE TIGER

In 1973, when the tiger appeared to (0) be facing extinction, the World Wide Fund for nature and (1) Indian Government agreed to set (2) “Operation Tiger” – a campaign (3) save this threatened creature. They started by creating nine special parks (4) that tigers could live in safety. The first was at Ramthambhore, a region (5) was quickly turning into a desert (6) too much of the grass was being eaten by the local people’s cattle. At the time there (7) just fourteen tigers left there.

The government had to clear twelve small villages, which means moving nearly 1,000 people and 10,000 cattle so the land (8) be handed back to nature. Today, Ramthambhore is a very different place, with grass tall (9) for tigers to hide in, and there are now at (10) forty of them (11) the park, wandering freely about. Other animals have also benefited. For example, there are many (12) deer and monkeys than before. The people (13) were moved are now living in better conditions. They live in new villages away (14) the tiger park, with schools, temples and fresh water supplies. There are now sixteen such tiger parks in India and the animals’ future looks (15) little safer.