Kolkata, Aug 7 (IANS): Noted tiger conservationist Belinda Wright said that the South African model of wildlife conservation is "not the model to follow" and that India is "ahead" in its protection strategies.

"The South African model isn't the model to follow..they have got canned hunting and everything.it is not the model to follow," said Wright, executive director, Wildlife Protection Society Of India (WPSI), during the launch here Tuesday evening of the book 'The Safari - A Ranthambore Diary' compiled by industrialist Sundeep Bhutoria.

Wright is vociferous about India's conservation programme and maintained that if the country sticks to its strategies and implements them properly then there is no need to follow other models.

"We have the oldest conservation history in the world...we don't need other models...I am convinced of that," said Wright.

Having ferociously defended tigers for decades, Wright proclaimed: "When you save the tiger...you are saving everything...the tiger is the leading conservationist in India."