25 Jul 2012

Tiger tourism ban ordered

12:33 pm on 25 July 2012

The Supreme Court in India has ordered a ban on tourism in more than 40 tiger reserves run by the central government.

In a landmark ruling, it warned that states that failed to implement the ban could face contempt proceedings and fines.

Tiger numbers have shrunk in India. A century ago there were an estimated 100,000 tigers, but a census last year counted fewer than 2000 in the wild.