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Tigers In Red Weather: A Quest for the Last Wild Tigers ReviewPadel's book is certainly interesting and informative but, if you're concerned about the future of Asia's wildlife (not only tigers), you come away with the melancholy, somewhat depressing impression that population growth and habitat destruction do not bode well for the wild creatures of our largest continent.
I agree with another reviewer that the story would certainly be better without the inclusion of details from the author's personal life, particularly the angst over the break-up with a lover. Consisting of chapters pieced together after numerous trips to south, east and southeast Asia, "Tigers in Red Weather" covers a lot of ground, assessing from Padel's own treks and interaction with wildlife conservationists, the state of wilderness preservation in such far-flung locales as India, Bangladesh, Russia, China and Indonesia. Each time she's back in England, however, we're subjected to awkward meetings, meals and cocktail party banter with the ex-boyfriend. Sorry but as a reader I couldn't care less and that's certainly not why I bought the book.
There is some charm in Padel's descriptions of walks in tropical rainforest and I could certainly relate, as a neophyte outdoorsman, to the "creeped out" factor of running across pythons, spiders and scorpions which, as is often the case, appear when least expected. Admittedly an amateur trekker at best, the author manages to convey what these exotic trips would be like for the average Westerner reading from a cushy armchair. The most valuable contributions of "Tiger's in Red Weather," however, are the tales about the dedicated, incredibly hard-working, isolated scientists, conservationists, rangers and others who devote their lives to saving not only "charsimatic megafauna" such as tigers, leopards, bears and elephants but the trees that harbor them and the deer, pigs and other prey they feed upon. One can only admire the sense of stewardship that drives these people. Often underfunded and performing thankless tasks (especially concerning local inhabitants who are sometimes downright violent), the work of Padel's heroes is truly worthy of commendation. This goes for the native rangers and forest wardens as well. Unfortunately too many succumb to bribes, threats and the lure of materialism but a large enough percentage hang in there despite low (or zero) pay, violent death courtesy of heavily armed poachers, primitive living conditions and isolation from their families.
The stars of the book, the tigers, are predictably rarely seen. I won't give away how many of these magnificent creatures Padel manages to spot on her far-ranging adventure but suffice it to say that the reduction in numbers is very disheartening. Far more often scat, pugmarks and other signs of their presence are the only clues that particular forests and preserves harbor any beasts at all. In many ways the appendix sums up the situation as it devolves a year or so after the author's journeys and it's worse than ever. One wonders how much further down the path of extinction we've gone since the publication of the book.
A theme that permeates this book is the short-sightedness of humankind and the frustrating, almost hopeless task that confronts those who dedicate their lives to fighting rapacious, self-serving greed. The fact that China is largely responsible for the vast majority of illegal tiger products (skin, bones and other parts) is particularly enraging. One wonders, if the demand is so "essential," what on Earth do they think will happen once the tigers are all gone? Will human beings cease to exist? Hardly. Will sexual behavior disappear for lack of aphrodisiacs made from tigers and other endangered animals? I think we all know the answer. This mentality is hard to fathom but it goes on and on. The same goes for the last old-growth forests in the world. Only 4% of India is set aside for the preservation of wildlife but even that seems too much for some. Helpfully, Padel provides a list of organizations and contact information at the end of the book where readers can contribute to honest and reliable groups that actually do some good.
Overall, however, this is a much needed book, shedding light on a subject that too often is given short shrift in mainstream media. It forces one to think about the future of the planet and contemplate where we'll be in the next century. What with the current focus on global warming and all the environmental consequences that entails, we're not left with a good feeling at all. I'm glad to say that I lived when wild tigers still roamed the Earth. How much longer they'll do so is anyone's guess.
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