RANCHI:
Though the tigers are walking tall across the country, their numbers
are dwindling in Jharkhand with only three left, says a recent census by
the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). However, if the state's wildlife
officials are to be believed, there are more prowling in the Palamu
Tiger Reserve (PTR). Close to a month after it gave a jolt to the
state's environmentalists and animal lovers, officials of the state
wildlife department ruled out the WII census as inappropriate, citing
Maoist interventions and inadequate data collection as the reasons for
the goof-up.
"We don't think the report is comprehensive and there are certainly more than three in the reserve," said Bankim Chandra Nigam, the principal chief conservator of forests-wildlife (PCCF-WL). "The census itself shows the count to be three plus, a provision saying there may be more," Nigam added.
The royal cat population, despite its dwindling habitats, shot up by 30% across 18 tiger states in the report that was published early in January. At present, there are 2226 adult tigers in the wild, with Karnataka having 408 in total. In 2010, the nationwide tiger population was estimated at 1706, showing a steady increase from 1411 in 2006. However, the figures have dropped ominously in Jharkhand from 2010, when there were 10 tigers in the PTR.
"Normally, the census is a lengthy process and is finished by May. This year, however, the study was wrapped up five months in advance," an official said. The survey gave wildlife workers very little window to track and document the tiger population in the sanctuary which has a huge presence of left-wing extremists, sources in the department said. Apart from chasing away surveyors, all workers of the sanctuary, the Maoists also destroyed high-resolution cameras placed at strategic locations to spot the big cats.
"Though the cameras are placed at knee-height, they would come break it as a precautionary measure. They would come down heavily on our men, beat and shoo them away so that they do not return with such devices in the future," the official said. The camera trapping apart, other scientific methods to determine tiger presence - namely the scat collection for DNA sampling and habitat analysis were also affected by the Maoists, who continue to camp near the reserve.
But what explains the sharp decrease in number from 2010? Environmentalists and forest officials widely attributed the fall in numbers to growing illegal settling around the reserve. Carved out of the Betla National Park in the 1970s, the PTR had only a handful of hamlets in its buffer area (an area outside the core area). As of 2012, the numbers shot up close to 140 that further confine the royal cats to the core area. In addition to that, poaching and Maoist activities still remain big threats to the tigers in the state.
"We don't think the report is comprehensive and there are certainly more than three in the reserve," said Bankim Chandra Nigam, the principal chief conservator of forests-wildlife (PCCF-WL). "The census itself shows the count to be three plus, a provision saying there may be more," Nigam added.
The royal cat population, despite its dwindling habitats, shot up by 30% across 18 tiger states in the report that was published early in January. At present, there are 2226 adult tigers in the wild, with Karnataka having 408 in total. In 2010, the nationwide tiger population was estimated at 1706, showing a steady increase from 1411 in 2006. However, the figures have dropped ominously in Jharkhand from 2010, when there were 10 tigers in the PTR.
"Normally, the census is a lengthy process and is finished by May. This year, however, the study was wrapped up five months in advance," an official said. The survey gave wildlife workers very little window to track and document the tiger population in the sanctuary which has a huge presence of left-wing extremists, sources in the department said. Apart from chasing away surveyors, all workers of the sanctuary, the Maoists also destroyed high-resolution cameras placed at strategic locations to spot the big cats.
"Though the cameras are placed at knee-height, they would come break it as a precautionary measure. They would come down heavily on our men, beat and shoo them away so that they do not return with such devices in the future," the official said. The camera trapping apart, other scientific methods to determine tiger presence - namely the scat collection for DNA sampling and habitat analysis were also affected by the Maoists, who continue to camp near the reserve.
But what explains the sharp decrease in number from 2010? Environmentalists and forest officials widely attributed the fall in numbers to growing illegal settling around the reserve. Carved out of the Betla National Park in the 1970s, the PTR had only a handful of hamlets in its buffer area (an area outside the core area). As of 2012, the numbers shot up close to 140 that further confine the royal cats to the core area. In addition to that, poaching and Maoist activities still remain big threats to the tigers in the state.
No comments:
Post a Comment