Achanakamar Tiger Reserve The New Tiger Hotspot in Chhattisgarh

 Chhattisgarh situated in Central India has been making the news for the last several years because of Low Tiger Density in its Tiger Reserves and Wildlife Sanctuaries. 

Achanakamar Tiger Reserve situated in Chhattisgarh had Low Tiger Density for several years and was given up as lost by Wildlife Conservation Authorities. 

In 2022, it was observed that Achanakamar Tiger Reserve was home to only 5 Wild Bengal Tigers. 

Enter Jhumri, The Wild Bengal Tigress relocated from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve to Achanakamar Tiger Reserve. 

In 2024, Achanakamar Tiger Reserve was home to 10 Wild Bengal Tigers and in 2025 it was home to 18 Wild Bengal Tigers. 

The Increase in Tiger Population in Achanakamar Tiger Reserve took place only because of Multiple Litters from Jhumri - The Relocated Wild Bengal Tigress. 

Besides, Jhumri there are two other Breeding Wild Bengal Tigresses at Achanakamar Tiger Reserve namely TK-16 and TK-17 respectively. 

Things are really looking up for Achanakamar Tiger Reserve with a Major Boost in its Tiger Population expected in 2026 and 2027. 

Valmiki Tiger Reserve The Tiger Haven In Bihar

 Valmiki Tiger Reserve is a Tiger Haven in Bihar in North India. 

It is situated in West Champaran District. 

It is situated on the Indo Nepal Border at the Foothills of the Himalayas. 

In 2014, Valmiki Tiger Reserve had only 8 Wild Bengal Tigers. In 2018, Valmiki Tiger Reserve had 18 Wild Bengal Tigers. 

But in 2022, Valmiki Tiger Reserve had an astonishing 54 Wild Bengal Tigers. 

This Number is expected to rise to 70 once the Current Tiger Census is complete in 2026. 

Why is this happening?? 

Simply because of Good Prey Density at Valmiki Tiger Reserve as well as because of excellent Anti Poaching Work by the State Forest Department. 

Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar is capable of becoming a High Tiger Density Reserve much like Tadoba Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. 

Gadchiroli District in Eastern Maharashtra The New Tiger Hotspot

 Gadchiroli District in Eastern Maharashtra is the new Tiger Hotspot in Western India. 

The Forest Areas in Gadchiroli District had 0 Tigers in 2020 but today there are 27 Wild Bengal Tigers in the Forest Areas of Gadchiroli District in Eastern Maharashtra. 

There has been dispersal of some Wild Bengal Tigers from Tadoba Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur District to the Forest Areas of Gadchiroli District in Eastern Maharashtra in the past 5 Years. 

Gadchiroli District in Eastern Maharashtra obviously has good Prey Density. 

At least 104 tigers in Kaziranga, population at saturation point

Wildlife Experts have sounded a note of caution that increase in tiger population in Kaziranga National Park may endanger the animals’ lives as well intensify man-tiger conflict as the population of the big cats reaches saturation point in the world famous national park.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority has recorded the presence of at least 104 tigers through camera-trapping Census between January 4 and March 9, this year. Though the Census has registered only one more tiger compared to the 2014 Census, wildlife experts have pointed out that the existing tiger carrying capacity of Kaziranga National Park is between 100 to 105 and the population must not increase beyond this point so as to ensure healthy survival of the animals.

Out of 104 tigers tracked this year, 95 tigers and seven cubs were found in Kaziranga National Park and two were found in Laokhowa Burachapori. The Census exercise covered a total 484 square kms. of the park. There were 31 males, 55 females and 11 undetermined.

Wildlife activists are of view that the NTCA should now focus on other tiger reserves where there is scope of increasing the population, like Namdapha.

Wildlife experts of Aranayak, an NGO, said, “A high population density means higher incidents of conflict with humans. Such density often produces a floating population of animals or ‘transients’ that are pushed out of their territory. It might result in infighting among big cats and death of animals.”

The Kaziranga National Park, where intensive exercise on tiger conservation started in 2007, is spread over Golaghat, Nagaon and Sonitpur districts.

According to a 2014 report, Kaziranga has the highest tiger density (per 100 square km) — 12.72.

Moreover two other national parks of the state has recorded a significant growth in tiger population.

The recent Census of Manas National Park and Orang National Park has also registered a growth in the number of tigers, with the presence of 30 tigers in Manas and 28 tigers in Orang.

http://www.asianage.com/india/all-india/260617/at-least-104-tigers-in-kaziranga-population-at-saturation-point.html

Tigers Are Now Back At Assam's Manas Tiger Reserve

The Manas National Park has recorded the presence of at least 30 tigers in just-concluded tiger census. The number is more than double the figure of the 2016 census.

The growth in tiger population in one out of four tiger reserves has come as a major encouragement for the forest department as conservationists pointed out the preliminary figure for Kaziranga National Park is not out yet but they expect it to cross the 140-mark. The authorities are yet to announce the census report of Nameri National Park, another tiger reserve in Assam.

Pointing out that this also marks the biggest ever tiger population in Manas after one-and-a-half decades of social unrest, beginning in 1989 that had pushed the tiger reserve to the brink, the conservationists believe that this is a huge moral booster to conservation initiatives in Manas National Park. The park has been on a recovery path after regaining the World Heritage Site status.

The last census had recorded the presence of only 14 tigers in Manas.

Field director of Manas Tiger Reserve, Hiranya Sharma, said, “The latest tiger census done through camera-trapping has recorded 30 tigers, 24 of those being adult tigers. The adult male-female break-up is 12-11, while the sex of one could not be determined.”

Mr Sharma also clarified that last year’s census had left the Panbari Range due to logistics constraints. “This time we covered the entire Manas landscape (in India). The increase in the tiger number is significant and a shot in the arm for Manas’ long-term conservation prospects,” he said. In 2016, the census, which was part of a trans-boundary (Manas National Park and Royal Manas National Park of Bhutan) survey, had recorded 25 tigers, of which 11 were from Royal Manas National Park and 14 from Manas National Park. Manas National Park provides shelter to at least 22 endangered species.

http://www.asianage.com/india/all-india/130517/tigers-are-now-back-at-assams-manas-reserve.html

Genetic study reveals eight tigers in Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh

The first genetic monitoring of tigers in Pakke reserve has recorded the presence of Eight Big Cats.

Guwahati-based wildlife NGO Aaranyak carried out the genetic monitoring activity at its wildlife genetics laboratory on the request of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

“Successful completion of genetic monitoring of tigers in Pakke this year enabled us to obtain information on the presence of eight tigers in the reserve — three female and five male tigers,” the report said.

The last camera-trapping carried out as part of the phase-IV monitoring of tiger and prey population under Project Tiger in collaboration with the NTCA, Arunachal Pradesh forest department and WWF India from December 2012 to January 2013, had recorded six tigers.

Sources said the work provides first-hand genetic information on the tiger population, which can be used for long-term monitoring and also contribute to studies on demographic and genetic exchange of tigers in the landscape.

The Pakke reserve is bounded by a contiguous forest of Nameri tiger reserve in the south, the Kameng river in the north and west and the Pakke river in the east.

During the field survey in January and February this year, 175 carnivore scats were collected. Of this, 45 scats of tiger origin were identified.

However, only 20 genuine tiger scats were taken for analysis, as the rest 25 scats showed ambiguous results possibly because of sample cross-contamination.

“There is scope of finding more tigers if the entire reserve is surveyed,” Tana Tapi, divisional forest officer of the Pakke tiger reserve, told The Telegraph.

The NTCA has made genetic monitoring mandatory in low-density tiger reserves, since camera trapping often tends to miss individuals in a low-density area.

Development activities, poaching and indiscriminate felling of trees leading to habitat loss are some of the prominent threats to Pakke, sources said.

The reserve has a great diversity of mammalian species with at least 40 species recorded. It is also rich in avifauna with 294 species.

Pakke was declared a tiger reserve in 2002 by the NTCA and is the 26th tiger reserve in the country. The NTCA has said since Pakke is adjacent to Nameri, joint monitoring work is essential for the tiger landscape.

Aaranyak has done genetic monitoring in five tiger reserves — Manas, Dampa, Namdapha, Buxa and Palamau. In Manas, 23 tigers were found, 15 and 19 tigers were found on two different occasions in Buxa, six in Palamau, two and one on different occasions in Namdapha and three and two on different occasions in Dampa.

The results of phase-IV monitoring of tiger and prey population of tiger reserves in the country, which will also include Pakke, will be revealed in February. The camera-trapping method was used for the study.


https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/north-east/genetic-study-reveals-eight-tigers-in-pakke/cid/1626689

Wild Tigers Spotted In Jalgaon District of Maharashtra After 33 Years

According to Nandurbar Range Forest Officials, two residents of Koknipada village spotted the tiger, the first since 1985, on July 22 in two separate incidents.

Read The Whole Article Here : 

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/after-1985-tiger-spotted-near-tapi-district-forest-officials-on-alert-5280395/