The annual wildlife monitoring results of the Manas Tiger Reserve in Assam, that were released on Global Tiger Day 2022, threw up some encouraging data. The gender of 27 tigers could be properly ascertained, eight of them males and 19 females, giving a sex ratio of 1:2.4. This, in effect, means, that the Manas Tiger Reserve has 2.4 tigresses for every tiger.
It is a positive sign because ecologically all populations should be skewed towards females, as a population with greater number of males has a higher likelihood of suffering decline in numbers, Field Director, Manas, Vaibhav Mathur, IFS, told Indian Masterminds.
TIGER NUMBER GOING UP
The Manas Tiger Reserve now has 52 adult tigers along with 8 cubs, which is an increase of 8 adults and 4 cubs over last year, as per the latest camera trapping assessment, as stipulated by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). Out of them, 23 new tigers were reported. And, 29 tigers were ‘repeated from last year’, which means, out of the 44 adults reported last year, 29 were again captured in photos.
A total of 381 camera trap stations were deployed by the tiger reserve authorities, with camera trap support from conservation partners, WWF-India, WTI and Aaranyak.
Mr. Mathur said, “The success of rising tiger numbers in Manas largely lies with the protection which has been strengthened over time. Habitat management, coupled with an inclusive community agenda, has seen tigers rise to 52, as per the latest snapshot assessment.”
WAY FORWARD FOR TIGER CONSERVATION
Project Tiger’s success has also given rise to certain problems. With tiger population increasing and habitats shrinking, human-tiger conflicts have been on the rise in the country.
Mr. Mathur spoke of the way forward, as shown by science and managerial experience. “We need to limit habitat interventions for tigers to thrive at their carrying capacity levels in source areas. Managerial experience will help decide the tipping points by observing tiger dispersal and internecine combat between tigers. Further, corridors areas need to be restored and activities there need to be mainstreamed with conservation, so that sources and sinks remain connected in a metapopulation.”
One good thing is, Manas has a shared boundary with Bhutan, and tigers are in a continuous flux between the two countries, giving the big cats ample space to explore new habitats.
DISTANCE SAMPLING OF OTHER MAJOR SPECIES
Besides the tiger, the wildlife monitoring results also gave the population estimation of all other major species found in Manas. This was done for the first time in a holistic manner by the frontline staff of Manas by distance sampling. Data was collected on line transects on elephant back using an Android-based digital platform by forest guards and foresters deployed in different anti-poaching camps at the reserve. A total effort of 400 kms was put in for this exercise. The information collected was then analysed at the Field Directorate of Manas and validated by the NTCA Tiger Cell at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.
As per this analysis, which shall form a baseline for all future assessments, there are 3220 hog deer, 1656 wild buffaloes, 1174 Indian bison (gaur), 804 sambar deer and 2613 elephants in Manas.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE LAUNCHED
The official website of Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve – manasnptr.in – was also launched on the occasion of Global Tiger Day, by CEM, Bodo Territorial Region (BTR), Pramod Bodo. The website was developed in collaboration with AMTRON. Apart from providing basic information about the tiger reserve, the website shall also serve as an online booking portal from the next tourist season.
