From Our Correspondent
GUWAHATI: It has been confirmed that the world famous abode of one-horned rhinoceros, Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in Assam also houses a treasure trove of over 100 endangered tigers roaring around in its lush green glass lands.
The annual monitoring of tigers in the KNP using camera traps during 2009-2011 has recorded a total of 118 individual tigers (adults, sub-adults and cubs).
The figure also included six photo-identified and known individuals that died due to various reasons during the period of study.
A three-year summary of the camera capture history of the identified individual tigers have been compiled in a report that was released in the Park by Assam Forest and Environment Minister Rakibul Hussain.
The report titled “Tigers of the Kaziranga National Park, Assam, India, 2009-2011,” has been published by Aaranyak, a premier biodiversity conservation organization that was the principal actor in the study carried out in collaboration with forest department.
The results presented in this report reflect the individual tigers identified from 2009-11. It is important to note that the 2011 national tiger population estimation report put the population of tigers in the Kaziranga Tiger Reserve as 106 (minimum 81 to maximum 131). The camera traps were positioned in 371 sq km area in the core of the KNP.
“The Population of tiger in the Kaziranga National Park, which is a source population for the entire Northeastern region, holds key to conservation of tigers in nearby Karbi Anglong Hills and Foothills of Arunachal Pradesh (Nameri-Pakke) in the north bank of the River Brahmaputra,” said Aaranyak tiger study team leader Dr M Firoz Ahmed.
Hussain, while complementing Aaranyak for their efforts to record tiger species in the Park through camera trapping method, said that rise in the tiger population was possible because of untiring and selfless efforts of the frontline staff of the Park.
He said that grasslands of Kaziranga were known to be one of the best tiger habitat in the world.
“When the hope for tiger conservation is fast dimming all over the world, forests in Assam continue to offer best habitat for this charismatic and majestic animal for centuries,” he added.
Dr Ahmed, who led this exercise from Aaranyak, said, “The exercise of camera trapping in tall grassland habitat is very challenging. The entire team has done an excellent job and the results are rewarding.”
He said the findings, which are very good indicator of a healthy tiger population and prey base in Kaziranga Park, had confirmed once again that Kaziranga Park is as much important a tiger habitat as the sprawling Corbett National Park.