GUWAHATI: The treasure trove of tiger has added grandeur and immense importance to Manas National Park (MNP) in Assam, the vast swath of lush green, picturesque forest landscape contiguous with Bhutan Himalayas.
The UNESCO world heritage site which has virtually risen from the ashes of violent conflict in Bodo heartland of Assam areas through 1990s, is now being toasted globally as a major success story of tiger conservation.
Manas National Park has recorded over a three-fold increase in its tiger population in ten years since 2010, thanks to the combined efforts of Assam forest department and other government agencies, NGOs and local communities.
According to a study carried out last year, the park has an estimated tiger population of 52 which is remarkable compared to presence of around 15 tigers in 2010. What is more exciting is that three tigers were spotted at the park’s newly-added 360 sq. km “first addition” tiger habitat. Forest officials are ecstatic.
“I am very pleased to observe the cohesion, ownership and partnership of government and non-government entities to bring the park back to the current state. This is not seen anywhere in Assam or elsewhere in the country,” the state’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forest AM Singh said.
The park, located in Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), suffered severely in respect of huge loss of animals and infrastructure during the ethno-political conflict that started in the late 1980s and continued until 2003 when the autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) was created as a political solution to the Bodo agitation for a separate state.
“The Manas National Park has surprised all with its tiger count in 2019… During the times of conflict, the park infrastructure was badly damaged… The whole park was left open due to lack of patrol by forest staff who were harmed by armed miscreants at times. This led to sharp decline in population of almost all species and loss of habitats due to severe human disturbances,” said in a statement of Aaranyak, a biodiversity conservation and research organisation that has been intricately associated with Forest department’s sustained efforts for conservation of park animals.
The turnaround began around 2005 when local community organizations were encouraged by park managers and the BTC administration to safeguard the park and its resources and the efforts paid rich dividends. During the turbulent period through 1980s till 2003, all the rhinos were poached, most herbivores were killed for meat. The tigers too were at the receiving end as they were either poached or compelled to move deeper into adjoining Bhutan hills.
It is one of the few Reserves, originally declared to be “Project Tiger Reserve” by the Central government in 1972. It has been a long and tumultuous, but a fruitful journey for Manas Park since then.
The continuous scientific monitoring of tigers, prey animals and habitats at Manas, as required, is led by the park’s field director and assisted by Aaranyak, WWF-India and other grassroots level NGOs. Aaranyak and WWF-India have been continuing its support to the park management since 2010.
The BTC administration, state government and National Tiger Conservation Authority invested heavily to improve the Tiger Reserve’s infrastructure and law enforcement which contributed to the recovery of habitats, and in the numbers of prey animals, tigers and other carnivores.
Anindya Swargiyari, Additional PCCF of BTC Forest Department, said, “The frontline staff and non-profit organizations have immensely supported the BTC Forest Department in increasing the tiger population.”
Aaranyak’s CEO, Dr Bibhab Kumar Talukdar said team Aaranyak was glad to assist the authorities in restoring the lost glory of the park which is a World Heritage site, a Tiger Reserve, a Biosphere Reserve and also an important bird area.