KOHORA, Feb 21 � The carcass of a male tiger, aged about 4-5 years, was found near the Tarzan camp in Kaziranga National Park recently.
Expressing serious concern over the repeated recovery of tiger carcasses from Kaziranga National Park, which was declared a Project Tiger by the Government of India in 2006, environmentalists have cited different causes of death like infighting between male tiger, poisoning through application of pesticides on cattle carcasses by local villagers and other natural reasons.
Talking to this correspondent, Dr Bhibhab Talukdar, member, National Board of Wildlife, said that the conflict between two male tigers occurs due to growing population of the species in a particular ecological area like Kaziranga, where the population of tiger is estimated to be more than 90. �Here the fittest always thrives. The less the habitat for food, the more the conflict,� he added.
The Director of Kaziranga National Park, SN Buragohain said that preliminary reports suggest infighting between the two members of the species. A team of veterinary doctors, experts from National Tiger Conservation Authority, WWF, Aaranyak are analysing the case, the KNP Director added.
Speaking to this correspondent, NK Vasu, Director, Rain Forest Research Institute, Jorhat, who had also served as the Director of Kaziranga National Park earlier, suggested that the existing corridor of the tiger species should not be disturbed.
The young sub-adult tiger needs to move outside the park along the riverine areas, foothills of Karbi Anglong and other forest areas for self-sustenance, become mature and strong and then return to their original area to replace the older and weak tiger.
Sources also pointed that since the tiger is basically a territorial animal, it does not like another tiger to roam into its area. And that is the cause of conflict between two male tigers.
Normally, younger tigers, after 2-2� years, separate from their mother and search new territory for survival. Ideally, a male tiger needs about 20-21 sq. km of territory and female an area of 4-5 sq. km.
But given the current population of tigers in Kaziranga National Park, the density is quite high. Since it cannot move outside the park area due to disturbances like the National Highway 37 cutting through the park where vehicle ply to safer sides like the Karbi hills. Consequently, the tigers are forced to stay inside the park and that often leads to conflict with bigger tigers and finally leads to death of one of them.
In 2006, as many as four tigers died. Two of them died in infighting and the other two perished due to natural reason.
In 2007, the same number (four) of tigers died. The cause of death of three of them could not be ascertained. One tiger died due to poisoning.
In 2008, five tigers perished. Of these, two died due to natural causes, one due to infighting and one was hit by a vehicle. The cause of death of another could not be ascertained.
In 2009, nine tigers died. Three tigers died due to infighting, one was killed by a buffalo and one died due to natural causes. The reasons for the death of two could not be ascertained.
Two tigers have perished so far this year.
The killing of tigers by poisoning is normally resorted to by villagers who want to take revenge for the killing of their cattle by the big cats. It is worthmentioning that the State Government�s compensation is only Rs 2,500 each head of cattle killed.
Being a Project Tiger, Kaziranga needs good attention in terms of more frontline staff for proper monitoring and healthy maintenance of the existing tiger corridor.
KOHORA, Feb 21 � The carcass of a male tiger, aged about 4-5 years, was found near the Tarzan camp in Kaziranga National Park recently.
Expressing serious concern over the repeated recovery of tiger carcasses from Kaziranga National Park, which was declared a Project Tiger by the Government of India in 2006, environmentalists have cited different causes of death like infighting between male tiger, poisoning through application of pesticides on cattle carcasses by local villagers and other natural reasons.
Talking to this correspondent, Dr Bhibhab Talukdar, member, National Board of Wildlife, said that the conflict between two male tigers occurs due to growing population of the species in a particular ecological area like Kaziranga, where the population of tiger is estimated to be more than 90. �Here the fittest always thrives. The less the habitat for food, the more the conflict,� he added.
The Director of Kaziranga National Park, SN Buragohain said that preliminary reports suggest infighting between the two members of the species. A team of veterinary doctors, experts from National Tiger Conservation Authority, WWF, Aaranyak are analysing the case, the KNP Director added.
Speaking to this correspondent, NK Vasu, Director, Rain Forest Research Institute, Jorhat, who had also served as the Director of Kaziranga National Park earlier, suggested that the existing corridor of the tiger species should not be disturbed.
The young sub-adult tiger needs to move outside the park along the riverine areas, foothills of Karbi Anglong and other forest areas for self-sustenance, become mature and strong and then return to their original area to replace the older and weak tiger.
Sources also pointed that since the tiger is basically a territorial animal, it does not like another tiger to roam into its area. And that is the cause of conflict between two male tigers.
Normally, younger tigers, after 2-2� years, separate from their mother and search new territory for survival. Ideally, a male tiger needs about 20-21 sq. km of territory and female an area of 4-5 sq. km.
But given the current population of tigers in Kaziranga National Park, the density is quite high. Since it cannot move outside the park area due to disturbances like the National Highway 37 cutting through the park where vehicle ply to safer sides like the Karbi hills. Consequently, the tigers are forced to stay inside the park and that often leads to conflict with bigger tigers and finally leads to death of one of them.
In 2006, as many as four tigers died. Two of them died in infighting and the other two perished due to natural reason.
In 2007, the same number (four) of tigers died. The cause of death of three of them could not be ascertained. One tiger died due to poisoning.
In 2008, five tigers perished. Of these, two died due to natural causes, one due to infighting and one was hit by a vehicle. The cause of death of another could not be ascertained.
In 2009, nine tigers died. Three tigers died due to infighting, one was killed by a buffalo and one died due to natural causes. The reasons for the death of two could not be ascertained.
Two tigers have perished so far this year.
The killing of tigers by poisoning is normally resorted to by villagers who want to take revenge for the killing of their cattle by the big cats. It is worthmentioning that the State Government�s compensation is only Rs 2,500 each head of cattle killed.
Being a Project Tiger, Kaziranga needs good attention in terms of more frontline staff for proper monitoring and healthy maintenance of the existing tiger corridor.
