Tiger numbers have increased in state:Minister Khandre

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: Thanks to a number of initiatives taken by the Karnataka Forest Department, the tiger population in the State has increased considerably.

The camera traps have captured the presence of 430 plus tigers in the various tiger reserves, said Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment Eshwar Khandre.

Releasing a report on the tiger census brought out by National Tiger Conservation Authority here on Thursday ahead of the International Day of Tiger, he said the tiger census was held once in four years as per the guidelines of the NTCA.

Along with this, the census of elephants, herbivorous and carnivorous animals were also held but at different junctures.

Karnataka which has a major portion of the Western Ghats, had been at the forefront in tiger conservation.

In the year 2021-22, the tiger census was held most scientifically and effectively in 37 wildlife sanctuaries including five Tiger Reserves, Nagarhole, Bandipur, Bhadra, BRT, and Kali, and followed the camera trap and Line Transact method. Khandre said 66 lakh pictures of wild animals have been captured in 5399 Camera Traps installed in protected forests.

The tigers have been identified through the straps on tigers in the territory and by adopting the latest technology.

In the All India Tiger Census held in 2018, as many as 404 tigers had been spotted through camera traps and a detailed study of the same revealed the presence of 475 to 573 tigers in the State.

In the 2022 census, 435 tigers were identified in the camera traps and this had given rise to a feeling about the presence of more tigers in the State.

Khandre opined that several initiatives such as the Forest Conservation Act, Wildlife Protection Act, and Forests Rights Act and the efforts of two former prime ministers, Rajiv Gandhi, and Indira Gandhi helped in the protection of forests in the country.

The first tiger census in the entire globe was held in Palmav Tiger Reserve in Jharkhand on a pilot basis. Then it became a regular feature and is held once in four years consequent to the implementation of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.