Tiger population in TS, AP

Tiger population in TS, AP
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Highlights

Union Environment Ministry has announced that the tiger population in India had increased. But there is no specific announcement whether tiger population has remained static or declined in Nagarjunasagar-Sirsailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR). In fact, the undivided Andhra Pradesh had 68 tigers in 2014 against 72 in 2010 when the census taken. The report counted 65 in NSTR and three in Kawal buffer area.

Centre’s report self contradictory

Atmakur: Union Environment Ministry has announced that the tiger population in India had increased. But there is no specific announcement whether tiger population has remained static or declined in Nagarjunasagar-Sirsailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR). In fact, the undivided Andhra Pradesh had 68 tigers in 2014 against 72 in 2010 when the census taken. The report counted 65 in NSTR and three in Kawal buffer area.

But, according to sources, as many as 27 tigers disappeared during last eight years and now just 68 of them remained in the NSTR. The announcement by the Union Environment Ministry may attract the attention of conservationists. The situation is, however, different at the ground level in NSTR.

Forest officials inspecting the carcass of a tiger at Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam reserve (file photo)

The Ministry’s announcement showed that the tiger population had increased from 1,706 in 2012 to 2,226 by December 2014. If the tiger population went up in the country, why it declined in NSTR was not explained by the Ministry. Not less than 50 per cent tigers in the country are known to have been present in five districts of Telangana State and Andhra Pradesh. The districts are Kurnool, Mahabubnagar, Prakasam, Guntur and Nalgonda. The tiger reserve forest in the district is spread over 5,937 square kilometres.

The Ministry also agreed that as many as 1,113 of total 2,226 tigers should have been present in the NSTR, but did not specify the actual number of tigers. The census taken in the past showed that there were 95 tigers in 2006 and 72 in 2010. But the number of tigers declined to 68 in the census taken in 2014. A thorough investigation into disappearance of tigers and cause into decline, instead of increase in population, may shed light on entire matter.

By:M Satya Peter

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