Category : Wildlife | Location : Bihar | Posted on 2021-08-05 00:34:33
The number of tigers in Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in Bihar’s West Champaran district has increased to 40 from 32 in the 2018 census, a top wildlife official said.
The number excludes six to eight cubs, HK Rai, wildlife conservator and field director of VTR, said.
In 2006, the number of big cats in the VTR has dropped to just 10. “Preliminary estimates put the population of big cats at 40. Around six to eight cubs have also been spotted in the forest area,” Rai said, adding that measures were being undertaken to make official the tiger population by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) next year.
VTR officials are planning to track tigers from October with the help of 500 CCTV cameras for 45 days in one of the two divisions.
Spread over an area of 900 square kilometres, VTR is broadly divided into two divisions and has a 150-km-long perimeter with 120 villages on its fringes and 350 villages in the sensitive zone. “Hence, apart from protection, the development of habitat is one of the core activities the department has undertaken in a bid to raise the number of tigers. In addition to 54 anti-poaching camps, there are tiger trackers and around 100 forest guards to keep a tab on activities in the forest,” said an official, wishing anonymity.
The forest area, which is divided into eight ranges, has 22 water holes and 8% grassland. “While the total number of bears ranges between 400 and 450, the leopard population has gone up to 98. Again, the forest has witnessed the rise in number of Indian bison (between 250 and 300),” said Rai.
On February 19, 2021, a tigress, that was captured from VTR after it killed three villagers in West Champaran, died at a zoo in Patna. On January 30, 2021, a tiger’s carcass was recovered near Sirisiya forest area under Gobardhana forest range of VTR. Earlier, a tigress was found dead in Raghiya forest range of VTR on January 1, 2020.
Meanwhile, the government has reduced the budget annual plan of VTR’s operation to ₹10.60 crore (2021-22) as against ₹14.60 crore in 2020-2021.
Infographics
Tigers’ count: 32 (as per 2018 Census)
Cubs: Around nine
Deaths after last census: 1 tiger, 2 tigresses
Current estimate
Big cats: Over 40
Cubs: 6 to 8
Population of other animals
Bears: 400 - 450
Indian Bison: 250 - 300
Leopards: 98
The VTR is spread in an area over 900 square kilometres. It has eight forest ranges
Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/others/tiger-population-up-at-40-in-vtr-says-top-official-101628093864106.html
