THE Indian tiger is in dire straits. If reports of its falling to the poacher's bullet at the rate of one per day are true, it may not even survive this century. There were an estimated 40,000 tigers at the beginning of this century. By 1972, only 2,500 remained. But with the banning of its killing in 1970, its number increased to 4,300 in 1989. But then it suddenly started declining.