Scientists at the Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS), including tiger expert K. Ullas Karanth, have said that Karnataka has the potential to harbour over 1,300 tigers in the wild if sincere efforts were made in the future.
They were reacting to the Karnataka Forest Department’s tiger survey report which was released on Thursday and indicated that the minimum tiger estimates in the State was 435.
Low density areas
Taking note of the extremely low densities of tigers except in a few reserves like Nagarahole and Bandipur with long histories of protection, the CWS experts said they concurred with the views in the report that the scope of expanding tiger population in Karnataka in the low-density areas was substantial.
Mr. Karanth, who is Emeritus Director of the Centre for Wildlife Studies, and N. Samba Kumar, Senior Research Fellow, said in a release that they had argued in a recent scientific paper that Karnataka could potentially harbour a population of over 1,300 wild tigers if sincere efforts were made in the future.
The release said a key conservation strategy that improved the prey base and habitat while reducing human pressure on both subsistence and developmental types, was the voluntary and fair resettlement of enclaved human habitations away from critical wildlife habitats and corridors.
“Karnataka led the nation in these efforts until about a decade ago and since then these efforts have slackened except in the Kali Tiger Reserve recently. It remains unaddressed even in important areas like Nagarahole and Kudremukh, while Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have forged ahead,” according to Mr. Karanth and Mr. Kumar.
The release also noted certain lacunae in the report and the experts provided technical suggestions on addressing them. It said the CWS had developed a slew of methodologies and it was encouraging to note the details of implementation of some of these methodologies in the recent survey report by the Karnataka Forest Department.
Improved status
The present relatively improved status of tigers rested on a solid foundation of conservation efforts made through the vigorous implementation of the Wildlife Protection Act 50 years ago by a pioneer generation of foresters of all ranks, led by the then Forest Minister the late K.H. Patil , said Mr. Karanth and Mr. Kumar.
“Establishment of most national parks and sanctuaries – a process now politically frozen in Karnataka, reduction in forest exploitation, intensification of protection and initiation of voluntary relocation of forest-dwelling families are all critical actions that originated in that vital period,” the release added.
