Tiger Census report likely in July
| Date :14-Jun-2019 |
Staff Reporter:
National Tiger Census reports of several states will be releasing by Union Forest, Environment and Climate Change by second week of July. Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, has almost completed the census data. National Tiger Estimation was conducted in Madhya Pradesh from December 2017 to March 2018. In its report, MP Forest Department claimed more than 400 tigers in several parts of State. National Tiger Census report is released by the Union Government every four years. Last census report was released during year 2014 in which Madhya Pradesh was on third place in terms of highest number of tiger. In census 2014, first place was given to Karnataka with 406 tigers and second place was given to Uttarakhand with 340 tigers.
In census report 2014, Madhya Pradesh had total 308 tigers. In the latest census report, status of tigers in Madhya Pradesh has been reported well. This year census has been conducted in a scientific way and Madhya Pradesh is expecting to get back its status of ‘tiger state’ with first position. The State has lost its status of tiger state during year 2006. Officials of Forest Department said for past a few year numbers of tigers have been increased forest circles. Forest officials informed that census report usually get approved on several steps. They said officials verify the data based on pugmarks in conserved and non conserved areas, camera photos, scratches on trees, excretion, sitting marks, etc.
The census was first verified by the State Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur and then it was forwarded to WII, Dehradun for final report. MP Forest Department conducted the tiger estimation plan in three different phases. The department introduced mobile app for recording the samples and data to the field employees. The department had prepared mobile app ‘ecology’ where all data were being feed by the field workers. Talking about the mobile application, forest officials said workers clicked the picture of tiger’s pug mark and uploaded the same on app.
There was separate section for herbivores and carnivores animals. Status of greenery in jungle and movement area of animals was also reported through the app. The estimation plan was started with over thirty thousand of staff and volunteers. For the first time, forest department kept the estimation open for general public. A study of habitat of wild animals, food availability and plants etc was also conducted. Volunteers from various states along with forest officers/ employees took part in the counting. The decision to include Volunteers was taken to ensure participation of general public in wildlife management, increase quality of collected figures and bring about transparency. Notably, in year 2014 survey, Karnataka recorded presence of 406 tigers followed by Uttarakhand with 340 while Madhya Pradesh stood on third position with 308 tigers. The national tiger estimation conducts every four years in all forest areas.