In 1973, when the tiger appeared to be facing (1) ________, the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Indian Government agreed to set up “Operation Tiger” – a campaign to save this (2) __________ creature. They started by creating nine special parks so that tigers could live in safety. The first was at Ranthambhore, a region which was quickly turning into a desert because too much of the grass was being eaten (3) _________ the local people’s cattle. At the time there were just fourteen tigers left there. The government had to clear twelve small villages, which mean moving nearly 1,000 people and 10,000 cattle (4) __________ the land could be handed back to nature.

Today, Ranthambhore is a very different place, with grass tall (5) ________ for tigers to hide in, and there are now (6) ___________ least forty of them in the park, wandering freely about. Other animals have (7) ___________ benefited. For example, there are many (8) _________ deer and monkeys than before. The people who were moved are now living in better conditions. They live in new village away from the tiger park, with schools, temples and fresh water (9) __________. There are now sixteen such tiger parks (10) __________ India and the animal’s future looks a little safer.