India's treasured cats are locally extinct in 5 tiger reserves

Palamau and Simlipal are 2 of nine forests where Project Tiger began half-a-century ago because of a healthy tiger population in these two parks

Beyond the happy news of rising tiger numbers, there is a worrying message buried deep inside the new all India tiger estimation report – India’s prized cats have gone extinct from five tiger reserves in the central India and Eastern Ghat landscape.

The parks bereft of tigers are Kawal tiger reserve and Chennur forest of Telangana, Sri Venkateswara National park in Andhra Pradesh, Satkosia tiger reserve from Odisha and Sahyadri Tiger reserve from Maharashtra, according to the new tiger estimate summary report released by the Prime Minister.

While the summary report doesn’t provide a state or park-wise break-down of tiger numbers, it is categorical in admitting that “tiger occupancy has declined in Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana” and “serious management activities” are required to restore tiger population in these states.

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Palamau and Simlipal are two of the nine forests where Project Tiger began half-a-century ago because of a healthy tiger population in these two parks.

But currently Palamau has barely any tigers whereas a handful of Simlipal’s unique tigers live an isolated life in the absence of a viable corridor, say experts. The tigers in the Odisha park have unusually broad and fused stripes making them appear dark and according to the 2018 census, there were only 12 such tigers in Simlipal.

“The genetically unique and small population of tigers in Simlipal is also of high conservation priority in the landscape”, says the report.

Conservationists noted that forests in central and eastern India became “empty of preys” over the years due traditional hunting practices, mining and road constructions. As a consequence, the corridors too have been degraded.

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"India has very diverse tiger habitats. Tiger densities across these habitats vary quite a bit based on natural factors like prey density and habitat structure and also levels of protection. Sustainable recovery of tiger populations will occur when habitats are restored, protected and also connected. Prey populations have to recover first for tiger populations to grow." senior wildlife biologist Ravi Chellam, CEO of Metastring Foundation and Coordinator of Biodiversity Collaborative told DH.

The new report echoes what the experts have flagged all along. “The wildlife habitats (protected areas and corridors) within this region face a range of threats, including habitat encroachment, illegal hunting of both tigers and their prey, conflicts between humans and wildlife, unregulated and illicit cattle grazing, excessive harvesting of non-timber forest produces, human induced forest fires, mining, and ever-expanding linear infrastructure,” it said.

“This region also has several mines of important minerals, hence mitigation measures like lower mining impact techniques and rehabilitation of mining sites should be done on priority. If management activities like prey augmentation, habitat restoration, and protection are undertaken with serious efforts, tiger reserves and protected areas in Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, still hold potential for further recovery of tiger populations,” the report added.