Guest guest Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 Link: http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070012974 Shocking dip in tiger numbers: Census Swati Thiyagarajan Wednesday, May 23, 2007 (New Delhi) The first results of what is the country's most comprehensive tiger census are out and the news is not so good in central India. In Madhya Pradesh 65 per cent of the tigers have vanished, while Chattisgarh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan have less than a 100 tigers each in the areas surveyed. The final numbers will be released by the end of the year. ''Poaching is the main reason for this loss of tiger numbers,'' said Dr Y V Jhalla, Wildlife Institute of India. Till two years ago, tiger numbers were determined on pugmark counts. But this time a far more stringent and scientific method, analysing habitat, prey base densities and camera trappings was used. The pugmark count was used only to confirm tiger presence. The new tiger estimate suggests that the earlier pugmark method may have been flawed and led to inflated figures, perhaps a reason why the environment ministry refused to comment on the report. Also alarming is the fact that buffer areas around national parks like Ranthambhor and Bandhavghad have vanished and are no longer connected to other tiger areas through healthy forest corridors. The tiger as a big predator is prone to extinction as it requires large spaces to both feed in and breed and without political will and management its future in India is bleak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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