Tiger census begins at sanctuaries in K’taka

Milton.Lawrence
Mysuru: Karnataka hopes to roar once again. The forest department is confident it will record a rise in the number of tigers in the reserves in the state and regain the Tiger State tag it lost to Madhya Pradesh in 2018 which recorded 526 big cats compared to 524 in Karnataka.
Forest officials are ready for the fifth cycle of tiger count. All forest staff have been trained for the all-India exercise and are awaiting a directive from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a statutory body for tiger conservation in India, to start the process.
It was announced that tiger monitoring would begin in October.
Karnataka forest officials have shared the data of the annual tiger census done in June-July with NTCA. Officers say the authority may seek a clarification with regard to the annual count and if required another survey would be carried out. Camera trap or photo-capture method is used to record the number of tigers. At each location, two cameras are fitted to capture the movement of tigers and then match the data with records. Every tiger is identified by a number that has been given based on the stripes.
Annual monitoring of tigers is done every year in all five tiger reserves – Bandipur, Nagarahole, Bhadra, Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple, and Kali—whereas the once in four-year tiger count, is done in 51 tiger reserves as well as in forested areas including wildlife sanctuaries.
The exercise in Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary began a week ago and it is expected to be complete in two weeks’ time. The sanctuary has nearly two dozen tigers according to previous data. A survey will also be done in abutting Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.
Sources claimed that due to the dearth of cameras in the department, the exercise will be staggered as cameras are being shared.
The 2018 census pegged the tiger population in the state at 524, two less than Madhya Pradesh which recorded 526 tigers. Foresters claim there is an increase in the tiger count in the last four years in the state. As per the 2018 census report, India had 2,967 tigers.
The first tiger count was done in 2006 during when the tiger number was just 1,411.
MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary DCF V Yedukondalu told TOI that about 250 staff have been roped in for the three-week-long monitoring work. The camera trap method is being used for the count and at 450 locations, a pair of camera each are fitted to monitor the movement of the big cat.
BRT reserve deputy conservator of forests G Santhosh Kumar said his staff has been trained for the national-level exercise. The reserve has more than 52 tigers.
Bandipur Tiger Reserve director SR Natesh said they are awaiting the directive for the count and are all set.