Wild roar grows louder in Manas as tiger count swells

GUWAHATI: Tiger population at Assam’s Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve has increased by over 50% in the last one year, experts describing it as a “remarkable” achievement.
Manas has registered an estimated increase of 16 tigers, taking the population from 30 in 2020 to 46 in 2021, the park authorities told TOI on Thursday.
The estimate showed significant presence of tigers outside the core area as the 350 sq km of First Addition to Manas National Park witnessed four tigers while one tiger was also sighted for the first time at the Bornadi wildlife sanctuary under the Manas Tiger Reserve.
Among 46 tigers, 36 are adults, seven sub adults and three cubs have been sighted.
“This is one of the remarkable achievements of Manas. This increased number of tiger sightings may be attributed to last year’s seven-month lockdown which might have had a positive impact on the animal. Lockdown reduced levels of glucocorticoids, a stress hormone in tigers. The lower level of this stress hormone has been linked to their reproduction, which might have resulted in the rise in the number of tigers,” field director of Manas Tiger Project Amal Chandra Sarmah told TOI.
The survey covered forest divisions and wildlife sanctuaries in phase manner. The camera traps were first placed in Bansbari and Bhuyanpara ranges of Manas and later Kahitama, Panbari range, the First Addition and Bornadi.
“It was the first time that a tiger was sighted at Bornadi, a sanctuary known for hispid hare and pygmy hog. It gives a ray of hope,” Sarmah said.
Manas, which got back its World Heritage Site status in 2011, has come a long way in scripting conservation success since it was enlisted in the World Heritage Site in the Danger list in 1992. Large-scale destruction of wildlife and infrastructure during the height of the Bodo movement in the late 1980s and early 1990s had earned it disrepute.
“The increased sightings of tigers suggest conservation efforts are working,” the official said. Despite the growth in tiger numbers, the increasing number of human-tiger conflicts caused by shrinking habitats has been a point of concern for conservationists.
The Global Tiger Initiative, Global Tiger Forum and other critical platforms had recognized Manas National Park last year for the increase in the number of tigers from 10 in 2010 to 30 in 2020.
The population of other animals also increased considerably in Manas. “On April 21 and April 22 a census was done, which recorded 67-74 numbers of Bengal Florican in Manas. About 121 swamp deer also recorded this year against 99 last year,” the field director said.