DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand, long regarded as a sanctuary for the Royal Bengal Tiger, is entering a crucial new phase in its conservation journey as fresh data suggests the state is nearing its maximum biological carrying capacity for tigers. Experts are now reassessing the ecological limits of its diverse terrains.
The latest Tiger Estimation Report 2023 presents a compelling picture, Uttarakhand remains firmly positioned among the top three states in the country for significant tiger population growth.
This achievement becomes even more noteworthy given the state’s limited geographical area, much of which is mountainous and poses unique conservation challenges compared to the vast plains that characterise other tiger habitats.
The official tiger count stands at an impressive 560 across the state. The lion’s share of this success belongs to the Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR), which now hosts a record-breaking 260 tigers, making it the most densely populated tiger reserve in the country.
"If we subtract Corbett’s population, we are still left with approximately 300 tigers residing in other protected areas and forest corridors within Uttarakhand," said a senior official from the State Forest Department, speaking on condition of anonymity. "For a state of our size, this residual number is exceptionally strong and speaks volumes about our habitat management."
Corbett’s success has also created a noticeable shift in the tiger landscape in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. Experts observe a significant spillover effect as tigers disperse from CTR through the Terai grasslands into protected zones further east.
"We are witnessing a direct positive correlation in areas like Pilibhit, Dudhwa National Park, and the Bijnor–Najibabad belt," explained Dr Rohit Sharma, a wildlife ecologist based in Dehradun.
"Corbett has acted as a crucial nursery, and now its successful progeny are strengthening buffer zones and establishing new territories across the lowlands."
However, the concentration of tigers in CTR is raising scientific concern about habitat saturation. According to the 2023 estimates, tigers in Corbett are surviving in extremely limited spaces, as little as 5 to 7 square kilometres per individual.
Dr Qamar Qureshi, a distinguished tiger specialist and former scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), underlined the seriousness of the situation. "Scientifically, an adult male tiger typically requires a territory spanning 20 to 25 square kilometres to thrive independently. The situation in Corbett is starkly different," said Dr Qureshi.
He elaborated, "While this density proves that food availability, prey base, is currently sufficient, it unequivocally signals that Corbett’s ‘carrying capacity’ has reached its absolute limit. The ecosystem is under intense pressure."
Such density has an inevitable downside. Conservationists acknowledge that shrinking territories are leading to unavoidable encounters.
"The consequence of such severe compression is an increase in tiger–tiger conflict," Dr Qureshi warned. "We are seeing more territorial disputes, which sadly sometimes result in fatal outcomes between dominant and subordinate animals. Managing these interactions will be the next major challenge for Uttarakhand’s forest management teams."