The Hindu : Karnataka News : Latest techniques to be used in tiger census

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 04, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Latest techniques to be used in tiger census

By R. Krishna Kumar

BANDIPUR, FEB. 3. The tiger census to be held in October across the country will incorporate the latest techniques developed by wildlife biologists and scientists to provide a reliable estimate of the endangered species whose dwindling numbers has been a cause of concern.

However, the time-tested pug counting will not be dumped in favour of the results obtained through prey density estimation, camera trapping and pellet counts. The results obtained from various methods will be incorporated to get a holistic picture of the highly elusive creature whose number in the Indian subcontinent has become a bone of contention among the officials swearing by the pug count and the NGOs who are highly critical and sceptical about relying entirely on one method.

Methodologies

Rajesh Gopal, Director, Project Tiger, told The Hindu that all the field directors from 28 Project Tiger reserves in the country will discuss the new methodologies which have been developed and perfected by wildlife biologists and field scientists at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun and other experts working independently.

Mr. Gopal, who is in Bandipur to attend the annual conference of the field directors of Project Tiger, said that there has been criticism against counting pugs but the results obtained from them cannot be discarded as different topography requires different approach and pug mark counting is found suitable despite some shortcomings.

However, the new methodologies will not confine themselves to counting tigers alone but will take a broader perspective of the entire exercise of wildlife estimation. This is in continuation of the guidelines issued for estimating tigers that called for adopting different approaches for different regions dependent on the availability of skills, resources and ecological conditions.

Tiger density index

Spatial distribution maps for all tiger habitats will be generated using Geographical Information Systems and in major protected areas such as Kanha, Kaziranga, Ranthambore, Bandipur and other regions the authorities will come out with reliable indices of tiger density.

The tiger density index will be based on scientific inputs pooled from data generated through various methods, including prey density estimation, camera trapping and pellet counts.

However, it is pointed out that use of the camera trapping method will be confined to a few major tiger habitats in the country and the authorities will use skilled manpower. In areas such as Bandipur, Nagarahole, Kanha, Ranthambore, Sariska and Bandavgarh the actual density of tigers may be generated through the use of advanced techniques such as radio-telemetry, digital photography of pugs and camera trapping.

Core group

A core group will be formed to oversee the results derived from tiger monitoring and the institute in Dehra Dun has mooted the importance of drawing a permanent line transect in various national parks and sanctuaries harbouring tigers.

The line transect method will entail upon the forest guards and other officials to intensively look for tiger signs like pugs, prey kills, presence of herbivorous creatures.

These statistics should be generated at least three to five times during the same season every year to give a higher degree of reliability based on which the scientists can arrive at broad estimates.

These figures, generated over the years, will also help prepare a reliable scientific baseline to ascertain whether the number of tigers, as also other animals, is on the increase or on the decline. It will also help scientists to study and answer why the tigers are on the increase or on the decline and help in better habitat management to save the species from slipping into extinction.

It is estimated that roughly 3,600 tigers are left in the wild in India today putting a question mark on its future.

Habitat encroachment, degradation and destruction have reduced the chances of its survival as forest cover continues to decline. In the absence of forests, the numbers of prey animals such as deer, sambhar, boar, gaur continues to dwindle which has a negative impact on the tiger population. But it is poaching that has taken a heavy toll of the majestic animal and poor conviction rate help abet the crime.

The number of tigers poached between 1998 and 2003 is 181 according to the office of the Project Tiger but the Wildlife Protection Society of India claims that 328 tigers were poached during the same period.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka