How Many Tigers Are Left in India? If you ask this question to 2,000 people, then you will get 2,000 different answers.
Many people in India are not aware of the exact number of tigers left in India. The last tiger census that was carried out in the year 2011 put the number of tigers roaming the forests of India at 1706. However, the million dollar question now is whether the number of the mighty ‘Big Cats’ will increase in 2014 or there will be another despair in store for tiger lovers? Well, to find out the exact status of tigers left in the country, a tiger census began on 16th December’13 and we will have to wait for December 2014 to get the answers.
The government, conservationists and the people of India are waiting with bated breath to know whether their concerted efforts to ‘SAVE THE TIGERS’ have paid dividends or not. The world’s biggest exercise to count tigers is already underway and the truth would be before us, but still let us figure out the current status of these elusive predators in the various wildlife sanctuaries and national parks ourselves.
65 Tigers Spotted in National Parks in Vidarbha Region
Now, this calls for a grand celebration!!! The machan (waterhole) census that was undertaken in the sanctuaries, national parks and tiger reserves strewn in various regions of Vidarbha (Maharashtra) gave the wildlife enthusiasts something to cheer about. A record 65 tigers were sighted, of which 29 were found in the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), 24 in the parks that come under the Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR), 7 in Melghat Tiger Reserve and 5 in Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR). A very interesting thing to understand here is that around 300 volunteers participated in this exercise at 414 waterholes. Maximum tiger sightings were reported from the Tadoba and Pench tiger reserve.
( Source- TimesofIndia )
Two More Cubs Spotted in Ranthambore
Another piece of good news is from the Ranthambore National Park, nestled in Sawai Madhopur district of southeastern Rajasthan. Here, two more cubs have been spotted that has delighted the wildlife enthusiasts. The forest officials of the had been suspecting for a long time that T-39 tigress had given birth to cubs, but no one had spotted the cubs. However, after a few days, the cubs were seen roaming with the tigress. The park is celebrating the arrival of the new members and forest officials are leaving no stone unturned to make the park a safer haven for the big cats.
( Source: RanthamboreNationalPark.com )
Pilibhit Wildlife Sanctuary Gets Tiger Reserve Status
To boost the tiger conservation efforts in the country, Pilibhit Wildlife Sanctuary, nestled in Pilibhit district, Lakhimpur Kheri District and Bahraich District of Uttar Pradesh has been granted the tiger reserve status. This is the third tiger reserve in Uttar Pradesh after Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and Amangarh Tiger Reserve in Bijnor. The forest ranges of Mala, Mahof, Barahi, Deoria and Haripur will be a part of the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve. There are many animals found in the reserve like the Bengal Tiger, leopard, swamp deer and the Bengal florican and hog deer.
( Source: Wwfindia.org )
12 Tiger Cubs Sighted in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve
Recently, around 12 new tiger cubs were seen in the core area of Dudhwa tiger reserve. The cubs were spotted in the Kishenpur, Bilrayen and Sonaripur regions of the reserve by using the camera trap technology. About 104 pairs of cameras were placed at Bilrayen and South Sonaripur ranges. Now, some of you may not have much knowledge about camera trap technology. Here, the cameras are fixed at certain points to record the activities of the tigers passing by. The feeds are taken every week by the forest officials of the park. The tigers are then distinguished according to the patter of their stripes. In the 2011 tiger census, 112 tigers were seen in the whole Dudhwa region and the number is expected to rise this time.
( Source- Economic Times )
Camera Traps Capture Six more Tigers in Sunderbans
According to the camera traps feeds, six more tigers have been sighted in the Sunderbans. The best part is that four of them are females, which clearly indicates that Sunderbans has an excellent breeding population of the big cats. The wildlife lovers are very much excited because it is an indication that the tiger population in the park is pretty much stable. The tiger counting process was started in the month of March and 60 pairs of cameras were installed across the range, enveloping around 700 square kilometers area.
( Source- Theepochtimes.com )
3 Tigers Captured on Camera in Tillari
The camera trapping technique is proving to be fruitful for the tiger reserves and national parks. In the Tillari region that borders Goa and Maharashtra, two tigers were caught on camera. There is a water reservoir in the Tillari region, which is situated between verdant forests. Tigers, leopards and other animals visit the reservoir to quench their thirst.
( Source-Times of India )
Bor Wildlife Sanctuary Granted Tiger Reserve Status
Bor Wildlife Sanctuary nestled in Maharashtra has been granted the tiger reserve status by the Minister of State (Independent Charge), Environment, Forests and Climate Change and the Chairperson of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Prakash Javadekar. It will become the country’s 47th Tiger Reserve and the 6th reserve of Maharashtra. The reserve will be covered under Project Tiger and receive funding for the conservation of the national animal of India.
( Source- The Hindu )
Some Other Interesting Facts About the Tiger Census 2014
- 5, 00,000 sq kms – Is the area that will be covered across the 17 states where tigers are found.
- 40,000 – Is the forest range that will be covered in the census.
- 2,000 – Are the personnel and biologists actively involved in the tiger counting process.
- 5, 30,000 – Is the total man hours that will be consumed in this process.
+91-9212777224/25
