Say it for our TIGER!

I wrote to a few friends to ask for contributions for Tiger Blogfest 2010 in conjunction with Earth Day. The plight of our Malayan Tiger is obvious. Would they pen a few lines and let us know their thoughts?

Thank you contributors! Your views/ideas are important to us.

Sugurajah Ramalingam, retired civil servant

Melbourne, Australia

The idea is laudable but it is the implementation of it that faces enormous hurdles especially in a country like Malaysia with so many competing demands politically, economically, and socially.

However, one can still try despite all the ever present constraints to evolve a strategy towards the objective. I feel that before anything is done, one needs to carry out some sort of a survey to at least guesstimate the number of tigers by tracking them by implanting micro chips in them. That will enable one to obtain their geographical habitats or the extent of it as well as indicate their numbers.

Besides one needs to know their approximate current numbers as that will serve as a benchmark against which one can monitor the outcomes of the strategies adopted to save the tigers. That should tell one whether the strategies in place are a success or failure and if the latter, whether one needs to look at alternative strategies.

Ho Ce Line, 11 years

Round and round

there they roam

until they are found

please do not destroy their home

On all fours

they walk around with their paws

save our Malayan tigers to be fair

please think of them with care

While the young tigers play

at the place they can stay

leave them alone

they have enough trouble of their own

Tiger skin bags

tiger skin boots filling up the shoe racks

is it the best we can do?

let the tigers continue to rule!

Linda Tan Lingard, publisher of OYEZ! Books, president of SCBWI Malaysia ( Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators)

Do check out Friends For a Tiger by Peter Worthington., author of The Tipee Hipee Animal Adventure Series. Please click on the link to view.

http://keatsthesunshinegirl.googlegroups.com/web/tim%20tiger%20ebook.pdf?gsc=0wmw8C4AAABmpWzABHOLezSiEVufgPCXOYHfCcXL9eVJP9niPcRNNP1gDKXkFGmuSdQiZPsgnNc

Tiger Blogfest 2010 - Kids get to know our Tiger

Cool tiger!

What I've found time and again, when storytime comes along, you gotta inject fun into the learning. Children are keen to learn and if we do some things right, we've got them with us - eyes, ears and mind open for as long as they're with you.

More so, this time when I've a 'mission' to accomplish. Earth Day is round the corner and together with over 100 bloggers, headed by the King Monyet, we're zooming in on ' Save Our Tiger' in our special Tiger Blogfest 2010. I had the privilege of 2 sessions with some kids in the MBPJ library and Times Bookshop , all within an hour each. Big task? Yes, but like they say, chunk it and for the young kids, keep it simple.

Truth be told, the kids fear the tiger for all the stories they hear. But then, there's a part of the story missing . Exactly why do tigers kill humans. What's the underlying reason/s for tigers to leave their habitat and create havoc? And what about Man's irresponsible acts of poaching tigers. For the young ones, this information is something new. Unheard of! I could sense some uneasiness to know that the tiger falls prey to man's bad acts.

To get to the core of the important message, I made up a simple song for all to sing.We sang about the Tiger Is A Cat to the tune of The Farmer In The Dell. Simple, catchy and easy to sing -along. Thumbs up for the Tiger - Save our Tiger ! screamed the kids. Here are the lyrics:

The tiger is a cat (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

It lives in the jungle (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

Hunted by Man (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

Killed by Man (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

Eat the tiger? NO! (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

Save the tiger? YES! (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

The tiger is a cat (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

Then, it was time to settle down to a beautiful story Tigress by Nick Dowson, illustrated by Jane Chapman. Well, not before I encouraged the children to growl their best to kick off a tigerish start. Would you have guessed? A little 5 year old wanted to be a tiger alright and that got the bigger kids going. So, altogether, we growled!

I love the excellent text. It brings into focus in the 32 pages so much to know about the tiger without wordy prose. How is it possible? Well, the high standard of illustrations go hand in hand with the text so beautifully. I gathered from the children's attention that what misgivings they had of the tiger , it was slowly shedding away. On and off, at various points, I brought their attention to the similarities of the domestic cat with our wild cat - in nursing their young, their mother's ever tender loving care, and the way the mothers carry their litte ones in their mouths, nary hurting.

Tigress takes the children from the cub stage to adult independence. The young tigers at 18 months will have to find new homes for themselves. With excellent brevity, it comes to a lovely ending as the majestic grown tiger seeks its own life in the jungle. I certainly recommend this stunning , nature storybook to parents. Such a lively book to get to know about the tiger and familiarize its behaviour.

Have fun with a juice carton - a tiger lives there!

Tigress at play and work!

I brought along a craft - tiger, of course! Out of recyclable juice cartons, the kids made their own hand puppet tiger. Very soon, the tiger earned its stripes!! - all lovingly from torn strips of black colour paper and then glued. The 2 sides of the carton were used to to write messages FOR the tiger.

Parents too can play - kids learn tons through play

Some parents were around and I really appreciated their presence. For the fact that it is bonding time and they are fully aware of what a session like this can reap the benefits of informal learning through play. Talking about play. Initially the kids were shy to don the masks. Me, big tigress took the lead. Then, shyness was lost and we had roaming tigers!!

Will our tigers be able to roam free in the jungle? The answer lies with with each and everyone of us. Ignorance is not bliss if we are to save our tiger for now and posterity. Yes, the kids need to know and love our tigers .

As a storyteller and a parent, I say besides the general public awareness campaign, let's invest in our kids. Granted, some are too young to know the implications. But when the love of nature, also our heritage is planted, it will only grow through the years. Storytime 's over but the knowing and learning has begun!

My friend, the tiger

WWF Malaysia

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