A meeting of forest officers of South India, scheduled to be held at Periyar in Tamil Nadu on September 3, will fix the dates for All India Tiger Census to be held this year. This census is held once in four years in states that have tigers.
The census is held under the guidance of National Tiger Conservation Authority. In Karnataka, the census would be held in six tiger reserves - Bandipur, Bhadra, Nagarhole, Dandeli-Anshi, BRT and Kudremukh. Training for personnel to be involved in this census operation would be held at Periyar Training Centre in October and November.
According to the latest tiger census report released on March 28, 2011, by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the current tiger population estimated is 1,706 (ie ranging between a minimum of 1,571 to a maximum of 1,875). The results include figures from 17 states with tiger population.
Karnataka Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) G S Prabhu told Express that the state had around 300 tigers, which is the the highest number in the country as per the previous census. This time, the number has definitely increased, thanks to effective patrolling.
“Karnataka can proudly claim itself as a tiger state,” he added.
Karnataka has received Rs 6.42 crore in the current financial year from the Centre as part of ‘Project Tiger’ programme. Funds have been utilised on setting up of anti-poaching camps, providing jeeps and arms to its personnel and intensifying patrolling in core and buffer zones of all tiger reserves of Karnataka. Recently, 9,290 sq km land had been declared as protected area and this has helped in conservation of big cats, Prabhu said.
He said breeding of tigers is going on and the young ones’ population has increased. The mortality rate is around 20 per cent of the total tiger population. Each tigress gives birth to around four to five cubs which have been added to the tiger population. When compared to other states, prey balance is very good and healthy because of which there has been no instance of tiger-man conflict in any tiger reserve in the State. “We are adopting modern technology in the forthcoming tiger census and it will be discussed at the Periyar meeting,” he noted.
Public Participation
Prabhu said members of select NGos and wildlife enthusiasts would be involved in the tiger census. Of late, youths are very much interested in wildlife management and it is a positive development. In the last census, many youths walked with forest officers and spent long hours near water holes during census, he remembered.
