Tiger census to begin in October

Jotirmay Thapliyal

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 30

The Uttarakhand wildlife authorities is all set to begin the much-awaited tiger census in the state in October. Uttarakhand has the second-highest tiger population in the country after Karnataka.

The Uttarakhand tiger census comes at a time when tigers has increasingly being spotted in territorial divisions of the Corbett tiger reserve in the recent times. It has raised hopes that the tiger count in the state could witness a appreciable increase this time. Interestingly, Uttarakhand is currently second only to Karnataka in terms of the highest tiger population. Accordin to the 2014 census report, Karnataka had 406 tigers, followed by Uttarakhand with 340 tigers.

The tiger estimation exercise assumes significance taking into account a steady rise in the number of tigers in Uttarakhand. The preparations for the exercise are already in the final stages that against will be camera trap based. Uttarakhand Chief Wildlife Warden DVS Khati has taken stock of preparations for the census.

Initially, a total of 400 camera traps will be used to picture the tigers that are mostly concentrated in and around Corbett tiger reserve in the state. The estimation exercise will be done in Corbett taking along its territorial forest divisions like Ramnagar, Terai east, Terai west and Kalagarh forest divisions.

Volunteers of NGO, WWF-India, will play an important role in the conduct of the census. Significantly, Uttarakhand, as per the 2014 All-India tiger census report, has 340 tigers. The population of tigers in Uttarakhand has recorded a constant increase. The state, during the first tiger estimation exercise in 2006, had recorded the presence of 178 tigers. In the 2012 census report, the number rose to 227 and now the latest 2014 census report has put the population figure at 340.

WWF-India senior wildlife official Dr IP Bopanna said conservation efforts were the main reason that led to an increase in the tiger population in recent years in Uttarakhand, particularly in and around Corbett reserve. He said the tiger census slated for October could give encouraging results.