In 2006, Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) came out with a study, saying there were not more than 70 tigers in the Sunderbans. The state forest department summarily rejected ISI's claim. But the department's last census — that pegged the tiger population in the delta anywhere between 256 and 270 — was conducted way back in 1997. The results of the last census undertaken by the forest department and of the Wild Life Institute of India in 2006 remained inconclusive.
“The range is too wide to be convincing. It cannot be 70 or 270. We must ascertain the exact range. The Sunderbans is a unique tiger habitat. We have to adopt a unique methodology to conduct a census. But whatever methodology one adopts, the result must be supported by DNA sampling. I have been assured by forest department officials that it would be ready by then," Ramesh told TOI.
For this, the forest department has already started collecting tiger scat. “It would be sent to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology for DNA sampling. Wildlife Institute of India would also be involved in the census which would be done in phases," said Sundarban Biosphere Reserve director Pradip Vyas.
Besides DNA sampling, camera trapping would also be used for the count, Vyas said, adding that about 250 cameras would be positioned in different areas in the world heritage site depending upon tiger density. “It is high time we developed a suitable census methodology for the Sunderbans. A lot of water has flown down the rivers of the mangrove forests over the failure of methodologies adopted so far. We are depending too much on guesswork for its tiger population," said Bittu Sahgal, editor of Sanctuary Asia.
“The mangrove habitat of the Sunderbans requires innovative methods to get an accurate picture of the tiger population there. I think we need a round-the-year exercise to ascertain the figure. According to the latest government report, out of 37 tiger reserves, nine were in good condition, 12 satisfactory and 16 in a precarious condition. Sunderbans figures in the first group of nine," said Wildlife Protection Society of India director Belinda Wright.
The latest round of census incorporates methodologies such as camera trap, DNA analysis of tiger scat and analysing pug marks as also claw marks on trees. The camera trap methods were used extensively in the last census held three years ago as per which the tiger population in the country was projected to be in a range of 1,411 to 1,657. Experts believe there are only about 3,500 tigers left in the wild all over the world in the wake of shrinking habitat besides poaching and man-animal conflict. Just a century ago, their numbers were estimated at over a lakh in India, said a Project Tiger official.
To prevent incidents of poaching and poisoning and to save the remaining population of tigers, the ministry of environment and forests proposes to bring in amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
by Krishnendu Bandyopadhyay, TNN - Kolkata
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