Pench tops in density of ungulate wildlife in country

 

Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) topped in the density of ungulate wildlife in India in the report of Wildlife Institute of India based on All India Tiger Estimation 2022. The Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, has published a report on April 18, detailing the status of hoofed (ungulate) wildlife species across India’s protected areas. The report presents a comparative analysis of ungulate density (number per square kilometre) across various tiger reserves.

According to the report, Pench Tiger Reserve, Seoni, has recorded the highest density of ungulate wildlife in India, with 94.85 ungulates per square kilometre.

 

A high density of ungulates indicates an abundant prey base for carnivorous species such as tigers and leopards. This means Pench Tiger Reserve offers one of the richest and most sustainable prey bases among all tiger reserves in the country. The findings further confirm the success of habitat management efforts aimed at ensuring optimal living conditions and food availability for wildlife within the reserve.

The Pench Tiger Reserve management also conducted an internal analysis of the report, revealing the species-wise standings of Pench in comparison to other tiger reserves.

 

According to the WII report, Pench ranks second in the densities of Sambar, Wild Boar, and Nilgai, third for Chital and fourth for Gaur across all tiger reserves in India.

However, when considering the overall density of all ungulate species combined, Pench Tiger Reserve holds the first position, with 94.85 ungulates per square kilometre.

 

In addition to population density, the biomass (estimated weight of ungulates per square kilometre), crucial for supporting carnivorous species places Pench at the top nationally, with 9,876.25 kilograms per square kilometre. Pench has been followed by Kanha Tiger Reserve (8,602.15 kg/sq km), Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (8,484.4 kg/sq km) and Corbett Tiger Reserve (5,534.95 kg/sq km). It is notable that the core area of Pench Tiger Reserve covers only 411.33 square kilometres, making it the smallest among India's major tiger reserves. Despite its smaller size, achieving the highest ungulate density and biomass is a matter of great pride and a testament to the outstanding management and conservation practices in place at Pench Tiger Reserve.