The wild tigers — already endangered by rampant poaching and shrinking habitat as India undergoes breakneck development to accommodate the staggering growth of its 1.2 billion people face another threat of life by a canine distemper virus. The virus is common among dogs but deadly to other carnivores, it has killed at least four tigers and several other animals across northern and eastern India in the last year. The virus has been found positive in several big cats. So, India seems to be scrambling to protect its beleaguered tiger population. As a preventive measure, a massive campaign to vaccinate dogs against canine distemper is under the consideration of the government. It is a tough job to vaccinate every dog, of course. But even 50 percent of dogs in the zones around sanctuaries would help to arrest the spread of the virus among the big cats. So, we hope our wild life experts will find ways to save our endangered species from extinct.