Dhoni goes in to bat for endangered tigers

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has gone in to bat for tiger conservation in a north Indian state, local media reported said Monday.

"We believe Dhoni's association with Jim Corbett National Park and with tiger conservation will help the campaign in a big way," Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank told the Hindustan Times newspaper.

Dhoni was made a brand ambassador for tiger conservation in the state and was named the honorary wildlife warden of the park which is home to the endangered Royal Bengal tigers.

"I have come to request the CM to ensure a safe environment for tigers. I look forward to the corridors of Corbett-Rajaji being widened and strengthened," Dhoni said.

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty; Editing by Alastair Himmer)