Nagpur: Even though a series of tiger deaths due to electrocution in the last one month has come as a shock, the ‘Status of tigers and leopards in Maharashtra’ in 2020 during Phase IV monitoring has estimated 331 tigers and 669 leopards. The number of tigers may be over 350 and leopards over 700, say wildlife officials.
As per the All India Tiger Estimation (AITE)-2018 final report released on Global Tiger Day on July 29, 2020, tiger reserves, national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries in Maharashtra recorded 312 tigers, with 270-354 lower and upper limit, respectively. The AITE is conducted every four years and in 2014, the report had put the number of tigers at 190.
However, talking to TOI, PCCF (wildlife) Nitin H Kakodkar said, “Our independent estimation with the involvement of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has recorded 331 tigers in Phase IV. The number will be 350-plus as due to Covid-19, the exercise was not conducted in tiger-bearing areas outside protected areas (PAs) under Nagpur circle comprising Bhandara, Nagpur, Wardha & Gondia, besides Jalgaon in Dhule circle. It was also not done in Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Western Maharashtra.”
“The number 312, as per 2018 estimation, cannot be compared with our estimation conducted in 2020. Though the figure of 331 tigers includes 2018 estimation for Central Chanda (23) & Chandrapur divisions (31) and Painganga sanctuary (1), the tiger numbers will go beyond 350 if left out areas in Nagpur circle and two in Chandrapur divisions are considered,” said Kakodkar.
Similarly, Kakodkar said the number of leopards too will be more than the estimated 669 as the latest exercise has not been conducted in Central Chanda and Chandrapur divisions and Painganga sanctuary and areas outside PAs. “We have shared the reports with the respective field directors and have sought their remarks,” the PCCF added.
State wildlife board member Kishor Rithe says, “The national estimation was conducted in 2018 and state-level in 2020, so there is possibility of increase in tiger and leopard numbers in two years. Like the AITE, if one-year-old cubs are included in the count, the numbers are bound to go up. Duplication of tigers from MP and Maharashtra Pench can also lead to an increase in numbers. The increasing number of tiger deaths also is an indicator of a growing population.”
WII scientist Bilal Habib, who was involved in the exercise, says, “One-year-old cubs have not been included in the estimation. All tigers counted are independent of mothers. This time, we also evaluated the number of leopards.”
“It is wonderful news. This trend of increasing tiger numbers, and of course the numerous tiger deaths in territorial fights calls for creation of more space for the big cats and better management of corridors to ensure safe passage of transient tigers. Fortunately, tigers themselves have shown the best passages between various protected areas. We only need to protect these and fill in the voids, if any,” said Nitin Desai, Central India director of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI).
However, wildlife conservationist Prafulla Bhamburkar said, “Barring Tadoba, I’m not ready to believe tiger numbers have increased. In areas like Tipeshwar and Bramhapuri, the department has estimated 23 & 53 tigers, respectively. The forest area is too small to hold these many number of tigers. Moreover, as per the AITE-2018 report, Tipeshwar has 5 tigers and Bramhapuri 39. So, which estimation is right? Secondly, Bor and Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR) buffer has not been brought under the administrative control of wildlife, hence the numbers cannot increase.”
TYGER, TYGER BURNING BRIGHT...
Parks Tigers Leopards
Melghat 50 | 131
Pench 39 | 63
NNTR 9 | 162
TATR 85 | 109
Bor 6 | 30
Tipeshwar 23 | 11
Karhandla 11 | 6
Bramhapuri 53 | 88
Central Chanda 23 | NA
Chandrapur 23 | NA
Painganga 1 | NA
Shirur NA | 22
SGNP NA | 47
(Central Chanda, Chandrapur & Painganga figures are for 2018, rest are of 2020 estimation)