Second Nature

India’s Bandipur and Nagarahole Tiger Reserves are traversed by seven major roads whose upgrade posed a serious threat to wildlife. The solution, which took years of byzantine politicking and complex court cases, was to close the main arteries at night. Gubbi recounts his involvement in this and other nitty-gritty case histories, catching something of the wonder of an India hurtling into the 21st century with tigers, elephants and leopards in its path. His stories offer a valuable blueprint for campaigning in countries where conservation law does not tick along. Stephen Mills Tiger expert