Tiger numbers, and fears of surge in man-animal conflict, up outside Corbett
Hindustan TimesThe Uttarakhand forest department is preparing a comprehensive plan to protect tigers and check human-animal conflict after 229 tigers were found outside the Corbett Tiger Reserve in Kumaon, endangering the lives of both the animal as well as of villagers living outside the reserve area. According to the tiger census report released on July 29, there are 260 tigers inside CTR and 229 outside Corbett, Deepchand Arya, conservator of forests, western circle, Kumaon, said “There are more tigers outside Corbett, than some of the major tiger reserves in the country like Bandhavgarh and Kanha. One tiger each has been found in Nainital and Almora”, he said “With so many tigers outside protected areas, there are chances of a surge in man-tiger conflict in Kumaon. Ar least seven people were arrested by a joint team of police, forest department and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau in a tiger-poaching case, which led to the serizure of 15 kg tiger bones and an 11-feet long tiger skin were recovered The Shivalik-Bhabar tracts of the state are home to several tigers and has habitats that have the potential to hold more tigers including in areas like Almora, Nainital, and Champawat forest divisions, the Wildlife Institute of India has said In the recently-released tiger census report, WII experts emphasised safeguarding this tiger population, which is currently one of the densest in the world because of the comparatively well-connected forest tracts.