Tiger population in Kerala forest on the rise: survey

J. Ramakrishnan

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 18 (PTI) Tiger population at the
famous Periyar tiger reserve (P.T.R.) in Kerala's Idukki
district has increased from about 22 in the past to 38 with
cubs constituting around 25 percent of it.

Due to stringent protection measures adopted by
authorities at P.T.R., the density of tiger population has
also gone up, a recent survey done using innovative camera
trap techniques found.

Tiger density, estimated at 3.4 tigers per 100 sq. km. in
P.T.R., dominated with evergreen forests, is comparatively
higher than similar habitat types such as Bukit Barisan (1.6
tigers) and Taman Negara (1.7 tigers) in Malaysia and Huai Kha
Khaeng (2.2 tigers) in Myanmar.

The survey through capture-recapture technique using
camera traps covering 640.7 sq. km. was carried out by
Conservation Biologist M. Balasubramaninam and Ecologist A.
Veeramani of Periyar Tiger Foundation, Thekkady, between
January and May 2008.

"We deployed 56 cameras in four-trapping blocks -Thekkady
Range, Vallakdavu Range, Periyar Range and Periyar West
Division," Balasubramaninam told P.T.I.

A total sampling effort of 840 trap-days yielded 45
photos of 18 individual tigers over 15 sampling occasions.

Of the 18 identified animals, Theddaky and Vallakadavu
ranges were seen with seven each, while three were in Periyar
Range and one in West Division. Of the 18, six were males, he
said.

The photo capture probability and sample showed an
estimated population size of 24 tigers and a density of 308
tigers in 100 sq. km., Balasubramaninam said.

The tiger population has been estimated using the above
sampling method at deciduous and grassland region in P.T.R.

Studies showed that cubs accounted for 25 percent of
the total population in the 925 sq. km. of P.T.R., he added.

On the survey method adopted, he said the results
suggested that camera-trap technique was more effective and
reliable in monitoring the tiger population in P.T.R.

The survey revealed P.T.R. as a low-density region
mainly due to the evergreen dominated landscapes resulting in
low prey-base.

He said nearly 5,400 local families were actively
involved in the conservation project, under the
Eco-Development Committees (E.D.C.) formed ten years back by
the Forest department.

"Interestingly, some of the members of the E.D.C.s were
poachers-turned-conservationists and their contribution now
for the protection of wildlife is very valued," he said.

For better protection and conservation of the P.T.R., it
was recommended that adjacent forest areas, including
stretches in Tamil Nadu, should be managed appropriately by
declaring it as a buffer zone.

The area between Kalakkad-Mundanthurai and Periyar
Tiger Reserves should be well connected by establishing a
corridor at Aryankavu Pass to facilitate genetic exchange for
long-term survival of the wildlife population, he said.