JOIN US“We have issued an advisory to all the 17-tiger range states to keep an ID card specifying the details of each tiger in their sanctuaries,” Rajesh Gopal, member secretary National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), said.
The identity card will be have a photograph of the tiger and its skin print, a unique characteristic of each predator, kill data and camera trap as well radio collar records with regular update of its behaviour.
“Maintaining an ID of each tiger will help the officials particularly forest guards keep a track on the predator in their jurisdiction. The proposal was given the go ahead by Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh at a recent meeting of the NTCA. “It will also generate interest about the tigers among officials who rarely care for the wildlife,” he said, noting that apathy is one of the reasons for the dwindling population.
There are only around 1,400 tigers left in the country according to a census conducted last year by the Dehradun based Wildlife Institute of India (WII). The tigers are facing intense anthropogenic pressure due to habitat degradation, poaching and man-animal conflicts.