Camera traps now fully cover Nagarhole tiger reserve

Nagarhole Tiger Reserve (NTR) is the first reserve in Karnataka to be completely covered with camera traps, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Vinay Luthra said on Wednesday.

According to Luthra, 15-20 per cent of the 406 tigers in Karnataka have been camera-trapped and so far at least 72 tigers in NTR have been individually identified and numbered.

He said the cameras had been installed under the corporate social responsibility initiative of CSS Corp. The firm donated 400 cameras to NTR, 300 to Bandipur Tiger Reserve and 100 cameras to Kali Tiger Reserve. Luthra was speaking at the scientific journal - Phase IV Monitoring of Tigers.

The PCCF said it encouraged the corporates to come forward to help the department in wildlife issues as part of their CSR initiative. He urged companies to help mitigate man-animal conflict by buying land and transferring it to the department to strengthen corridors. Acquiring land complying with statutory procedures is a very tedious task, he said.

NTR Director Kantharaju explained that there were about 600 cameras in NTR and photos of right and left flank of 72 individual tigers had been documented.

“In some cases, only one side of the tigers has been photographed. Considering such photographs, it can be extrapolated that over 94 tigers are on the prowl. This data has been shared with Wildlife Institute of India for eliminating any overlap. The exercise helps in giving clear information on tiger population and ease census procedure,” he added.

PCCF (Wildlife) Ravi Ralph emphasised harnessing advances in technology to avoid the flash in camera traps as it was too harsh and scaring animals. He said there was also a need to train officers on matching software and data analytics.

Panel submits report
Additional Chief Secretary, Forest, Environment and Ecology, Mahendra Jain said that a five-member committee to probe the escape of a leopard (caught in Bengaluru school) from Bannerghatta Rescue Centre last month had submitted its report. “Negligence on the part of the staff has come to the fore in the preliminary findings and accountability will soon be fixed,” he said.
DH News Service

Tiger reserve tag on cards
Speaking to media on the sidelines of the event, Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister
Ramanath Rai said that the proposal to declare Cauvery and MM Hills as tiger reserve was before government.

Unlike Kudremukh, where local people have been opposing the proposal to declare the area as tiger reserve, there had been no such resistance in the case of Cauvery and MM Hills reserves and hence things could move faster, the minister said. Rai said that Forest Vigilance Committee had been directed to investigate the cases of fire in NTR and BTR.