NTCA suggests in situ build up of tigers to augment count
Published by: Noor Khan
Published: Sun, 31 May 2009 at 15:39 ISTF
New Delhi, May 31 : Concerned over declining population of big cats in the country’s at least 13 national parks, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has suggested in situ build up of the endangered species in separate enclosures in the wild to augment the count.
“This is just an augmentation measure to address the low status of tiger and its prey. There are at least 13 reserves in the country where due to various causative factors such as Naxalites or poachers, this small population is on the verge of extinction,” NTCA member secretary Rajesh Gopal told PTI.
He was, however, quick to add that in situ conservation was not meant for the reserves for instance Corbett and some parks in South which are reporting healthy tiger population.
The reserves which are witnessing low tiger status include Sanjay Dubri in Madhya Pradesh, Buxa in West Bengal, Indravati in Chhattisgarh, Manas in Assam, Palamu in Jharkhand, Valmiki in Bihar, Kalkakkad Mundanthurai in Tamil Nadu, Simpilpal in Orrisa and Namdumpha in Arunanchal Pradesh.
“In these national parks, there is an urgent need to maintain safe deposits of the big cats so as to ensure their count does not reach zero. It is time to re-evaluate the existing strategies and explore alternative conservation measures if we want the tigers to survive.”
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