Mail News Service
Ranchi, Feb 6: The Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Jharkhand is witnessing a resurgence in its tiger population. A recent report by the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India has confirmed the movement of six tigers in the reserve over the past year. This marks a significant improvement from 2018, when the tiger census reported zero tigers in PTR.
According to PCCF Wildlife Shashikar Samant, improved management in the core area has played a key role in attracting tigers back. “We have developed large hunting grounds and restored existing water sources, which has encouraged tiger movement,” he stated. However, retaining these tigers remains a challenge.
Wildlife conservationist Raza Kazmi pointed out that the six identified tigers are mostly males, with only one female among them. “Tigers are not staying permanently due to the lack of natural prey and female tigers. Increasing the population of deer and other herbivores is crucial to creating a sustainable habitat,” Kazmi explained. Currently, the tigers rely on cattle from nearby villages, which could lead to human-wildlife conflict.
Efforts to make PTR more hospitable have been bolstered by reduced human activities and the removal of some settlements. Additionally, the elimination of Naxal activity in the Budha Pahad region has allowed forest officials to restore water sources and install monitoring cameras with ease.
Spanning 1,129.93 sq km, with 414 sq km as its core area, PTR now has a network of 200 cameras tracking tiger movement. While the return of tigers is a positive sign, conservation efforts must continue to ensure their long-term survival in the reserve.
