DEHRADUN: In an encouraging development, the tiger population in Uttarakhand’s Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) has gone up to 252.
CTR director Rahul said: "Our efforts are always directed towards conservation and ecotourism. This is really encouraging for all of us, especially our ground staff who care more about wildlife and conservation than their own lives."
This is an increase of 21 from 231 in one year, according to the annual tiger population estimation exercise jointly conducted by the state forest department and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
During the estimation exercise of the big cats, a total of 7019 locations were covered by camera traps.
Of the total 252, 119 are said to be females, 91 are males, while 41 remain unidentified.
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The CTR is opening for tourists from October 15 for day visit where to date, a total of 740 night-stay permits have already been given. A total of 1032 permits have been given for various zones of the reserve.
In July this year, a report titled ‘Status of Tigers Co-predators and Prey in India’, released by the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change minister on the eve of Global Tiger Day revealed that the CTR has 14 tigers per 100 square kilometers which is highest in India.
The work was termed as the "world's largest effort invested in any wildlife survey to date", Corbett Tiger Reserve of Uttarakhand recorded the highest tiger density amongst 50 tiger reserves in India.
According to the voluminous 656-page report titled released by Union minister for forest and environment Prakash Javedkar, the CTR has the highest tiger numbers with 231 inside the reserve and 266 utilizing the reserve.
The report was prepared by the state forest department of all states where 50 tiger reserves are located along with the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, and National Tiger Conservation Authority in a span of over two years.