GUWAHATI, May 11: The magnificent but threatened tiger is bringing cheers to wildlife conservationists in Assam. The tiger count in Manas and Orang National Parks have registered a significant growth since the big cat census conducted last year. The State Forest department is expecting a similar trend in Kaziranga and Nameri National Parks.

Sources told The Sentinel on Thursday that the tiger is flourishing in Manas National Park, with the latest census there recording 30 individuals – more than double the number in last year’s census. The latest census figure promises to be a major boost to the wildlife conservation initiative as it marks the largest ever tiger population in Manas. Insurgency activities inside Manas had nearly wiped out tigers there since 1989. Conservationists are now elated over the development, saying that it is high time for the State government to work out and implement a long-term, effective conservation policy for Manas National Park.

Manas National Park had regained UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2011. The park had lost this prestigious status due to massive destruction of forests and wildlife during the peak of insurgency in Assam in the Nineties. Sources said the park will have more tigers if the contiguous Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan is also taken into account.

Out of 24 adult tigers spotted during the latest census survey in Manas, 12 are male and 11 female. The sex of one tiger could not be determined. Manas National Park with present area of 870 sq km, shelters the maximum number (22) of endangered species in the country.

On the other hand, the tiger census exercise carried out in Orang National Park from January to March this year not only recorded an increase of 4 tigers since the last count, but would also saw potential in the park to become an area with the highest density of tiger population in the world. As per latest estimate, the tiger density in 78.8 square km core area of the park stands at 35.44 per 100 sq km, which is the highest in the country.

In 2016, Orang was declared a Tiger Reserve in the State with an area of 492.46 sq km, including the 78.8 sq km of the Orang National Park as core area of the reserve.

Even though preliminary figures for Kaziranga National Park is yet to be published, sources said the big cat population in the park will cross the 140 mark. Conservationists are also keeping fingers crossed over a possible significant jump in tiger population in Nameri National Park.