Nagarhole-Bandipur approaching saturation, mining and infrastructure pose challenge to north Karnataka parks

While the Nagarahole-Bandipur cluster is reaching its saturation point, there is potential to increase tiger numbers in the northern part of the state

Karnataka’s Nagarhole-Bandipur complex, one of India’s best known tiger reserves, is on the verge of saturation capping the number of big cats that can roam in those jungles, but parks in northern Karnataka can house more big cats, says India’s latest tiger census report.

But to accommodate more tigers, the northern forests need to be cleared of invasive species and human settlement around the parks as well as in core areas. They also need to be free from mining and infrastructure projects

“While the Nagarahole-Bandipur cluster is reaching its saturation point in terms of tiger density, there is potential to increase tiger numbers in the northern part of the state (Kali-Belagavi area) and the Bhadra-Bhadravathi-Kudremukh region,” says the detailed report released on Tuesday.

The main challenge for the recovery of tigers in the Kali tiger reserve and surrounding landscape is the potential impact of unplanned development projects, particularly linear infrastructure and mining activities, the report says.

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Karnataka’s tiger count grew steadily from 290 in 2006 to 563 in 2022 riding on a steady rise of tigers in the Bandipur-Nagarhole complex that extends to Tamil Nadu.

But the growth between 2022 and 2018 (524) is almost one-third of the growth seen between 2014 (406) and 2018, signalling a saturation.

While there are many “sink” habitats to house tigers moving out of “jungle complexes”, such habitats need to be conserved with connectivity maintained with the source. But infrastructure projects like Mekedatu pose a threat.

“Cauvery wildlife sanctuary is an important sink habitat for maintaining the meta-population dynamics of tigers in the landscape. The proposed Mekedatu dam, which could inundate about 50 sq km of forest, could pose a big threat for the sanctuary,” says the report, flagging the threat once again.

Mekedatu connects the Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve and the MM Hills wildlife division and provides an important connectivity link.

“Sink habitats provide crucial connectivity. Without connectivity, tiger populations will get isolated. In such a situation, they run the risk of inbreeding and an elevated risk of local extinction,” Ravi Chellam, a wildlife biologist, who serves as the CEO of Metastring Foundation and coordinator for Biodiversity Collaborative told DH.

Habitat contiguity, according to Chellam, is crucial for all species, especially for larger and more wide-ranging species like tigers.

"The Western Ghats experienced localised declines, necessitating targeted monitoring and conservation efforts," the Union Environment Ministry said in a statement last week while releasing the tiger census report prepared by the National Tiger Conservation Authority after a four-year exercise.

As per the new census India’s tiger count went up by more than 700 in the last four years with Indian forests housing 3,682 tigers. Madhya Pradesh has emerged as having the maximum number of tigers, displacing Karnataka from the top slot.