VISAKHAPATNAM/HYDERABAD: The “Status of Tigers 2022” report, which was released by the Ministry of Environment, forests and climate change on Saturday, revealed that the number of tigers dwelling in the tiger reserves in Andhra Pradesh increased from 48 in 2018, to 63 in 2022. With this, the State logged a 31.5 per cent increase in tiger population since the last census.
Telangana, on the other hand, recorded a drop in the tiger population from 26 in 2018, to 21 in 2022. However, sources in the forest department maintained that the actual number stood at 32.
They claimed that migration of tigers between Amrabad Tiger Reserve in Telangana and NSTR in AP, and also some tigers, which might have evaded the cameras, could have either been missed or must have been recorded in one of the two States during the four-month period between December 2021 and March 2022, when the survey was conducted based on tiger movements captured in the cameras, in addition to the pug marks found in the forests.
If one combines the tiger count in AP and Telangana, the population increased from 74 in 2018 to 84 in 2022. However, the report found that no tiger was recorded in the Kawal Tiger Reserve of Telangana between 2018 and 2022.
It may be noted that the number of tigers in India increased from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,682 in 2022, an annual rise of 6 per cent, according to the report released on International Tiger Day. Moreover, India has become home to approximately 75 per cent of the world’s tiger population, Union Minister of State for Forest & Environment Ashwini Kumar Choubey said in Ramnagar, Uttarakhand while releasing the data for 2022.
Modern anti-poaching camouflages help protect wildlife, says official
According to the findings, the tiger population in Andhra Pradesh has been on a positive trajectory. In 2006, the State was home to 95 tigers, which declined to 72 in 2010 and plummeted to 68 in 2014 and even further in the later years. However, dedicated conservation initiatives and coordinated efforts managed to reverse the trend, leading to a population rebound of 48 tigers in 2018.
“Our approach to studying tiger movements is based on three factors--prey-based, protection, and habitat improvement measures. We gain insights into their preferred habitats and challenges through a comprehensive analysis of camera trap images. We prioritise enhancing tiger habitats by increasing fodder and water resources. Additionally, we have installed solar panels in these regions due to their suitability in areas where electricity usage is discouraged,” Shanitpriya Pandey, the chief conservator of forests, Andhra Pradesh elaborated.
Speaking to TNIE on measures taken to curb illegal poaching, Pandey said that the authorities have adopted a scientifically-driven approach to closely monitor and study the movement of the poachers. “State-of-the-art anti-poaching camouflages help deter illegal activities. We have deployed five protection watchers at each camp to safeguard wildlife. Moreover, we actively collaborate with local tribes.”