Expansion of oil palm plantations in north-eastern India may be grave news for tigers, elephants, leopards and other Indian wildlife.
Permanent loss of forests to monocultures of oil palm and a lack of adequate planning are already resulting in increased rates of human-wildlife conflict across the subcontinent.
The Ministry of Agriculture in India estimates the country has the potential to use 1.03 million hectares of land to cultivate palm oil – nearly the size of Connecticut in the USA – to produce four to five million tonnes of palm oil per year.
Such a massive loss of forest area will drive species such as tigers, elephants and leopards into closer contact with human settlements - the results are often dire for the animals.
Moreover, the Bengal Tiger is already endangered – any further loss of habitat could result in extinction - its population in India has been estimated at only 1,706–1,909.
Please sign and share the petition to demand the Indian government stops the mass expansion of palm oil plantations in north-eastern India to save tigers, elephants, leopards and other Indian wildlife.
