Ranthambore's tigers and their shrinking habitats
The tragic tiger-human conflict in Rajasthan's famous Ranthambore Tiger Reserve should wake up wild life experts in government for the damage they have done to the tiger reserves. In the early eighties, the famous Tiger Man, conservator Fateh Singh Rathore, fondly remembered as the only one to have given a ground strategy for tiger conservation in Ranthambore, is now lost to tiger experts in government. The tigers are in direct conflict with humans and Chief Wild Life Wardens (CWLWs) pacify them with live-baits rather than providing them a sustainable prey-base within their habitats. Segmental short-term and counter-productive solutions are often shot out as remedies to an ailing habitat.
A copious loss of habitats and a decadal disappearance of forest cover is definitely the central cause of many frenzied man-animal conflicts. However, what escapes attention is the perfunctory attitude of CWLWs towards reintroduction of more predators from other habitats and different ecosystems without addressing the central cause of carrying capacity. An unresearched translocation and reintroduction disturbs prey base in forests besides many other forms of damages that it is likely to inflict both in a short-term and a long-term period. To manage predator populations. CWLWs bring live baits to forests and once this is not found enough, captive zoo animals which are no better than live baits are supplied under the cover of 'increasing prey base' in defiance of the guidelines given by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Central Zoo Authority (CZA). As predators get used to live baits, they give up hunting and fearlessly cross over to any human habitat in search of standing livestock. Only two days ago, a coalition of cheetahs had crossed the border of Kuna National Park and breached the human habitat of a village killing livestock. There are many questions looking for answers in this imbroglio.
The available data speaks for itself and can explain the problem more accurately. As per the India's State of Forest Report (ISFR) of 2023, the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve where the tragic killing of the Forest Ranger has an increased tiger population of 80 but the tiger habitat has shrunk by 44.57 sq kms. Similarly, its adjoining Sariska has added 30 tigers from just two in the last 15 years but lost 15.95 sq kms of habitat. This imbalance within tiger reserves is faster in many other tiger reserves of India as well. Wildlife experts know it very well that an average tiger needs at least 60 to 100 sq kms to survive and similarly, a cheetah needs a minimum of 1500 sq kms for a sustainable prey base. Of the five largest tiger reserves in Rajasthan none exceeds an area of Ranthambore Reserve which is merely 1530 sq kms with roads and villages criss-crossing all over. This habitat area is in all fairness, suitable for not more than 15 tigers or even less as there are other competing predators on the same stock of prey. Many other tiger reserves are simply broken platforms or smaller segments of drying and wilting land masses of less than 500 sq kms and some even smaller like Darrah and Shargarh in Rajasthan. If this isn't enough, the foresters fail to account that prey base is a primary requirement before releasing new predators or conserving growth of pre-existing ones. The herbivore prey base is not a free gift in a forest. It is dependent upon grasslands which are almost non-existent in a true sense of grasses which prey can actually consume. Most grasslands are converted to non-forest use such as agriculture, cultivation and mining. A phenomenal loss of 56,500 sq kms of grasslands which one can find in an official statement of Indian government to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 2019 during COP 14 is a fact. The Aravali forest range which hold most of the Rajasthan's tiger reserves has suffered highest degradation, thereby making it impossible for deer, the main prey base to sustain its population.
In coming times, tigers are going to face much heat and most zoos which are keeping deer for city's ecological life may convert to prey-base farms. Shrinking habitats will bring tigers close to human populations. Due to lack of a committed policy to expand tiger habitats, CWLWs would continue to depend upon short-cut measures like offering them live-baits, which will further weaken their hunting skills. At the same time, reintroduction of new predators in their habitats will increase brutal competition for food and water. The government should undertake at least three urgent measures to address the situation. One, take non-government tiger experts on board on how to lure the tigers back into the core of forests and stop offering live-baits. Two, stop reintroduction of any more predators till forest areas are restored to match the prey need of tigers. Three, ban any more deer parks or zoos from coming up till a cradle to grave policy for zoo animals becoming part of the contract for seeking licence for a zoo and is acknowledged within the framework of the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972. Considering a rising fancy for wildlife and new business opportunities aligned to eco-tourism, wildlife may lose many more habitats to the construction of hotels, rail-tracks and roads. To stop man-animal conflicts, forests should be left to themselves, should not be fragmented and trespassed upon.
This article is authored by Amita Singh, former professor of law and governance, Jawaharlal Nehru University and president, Asia Pacific Disaster Research Group.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
06-06-2025
- The Hindu
Concerns arise over expansion of Theppakadu Elephant Camp in the Nilgiris
Conservationists and elephant experts have voiced their concern over the continued development of the Theppakadu Elephant Camp in the core area of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR). They are of the view that that the recent setting up of a township for 44 mahouts and their families, as well as plans to expand the camp itself into a 'world-class facility' may impact wildlife within the reserve. In a 2014 paper 'Prioritizing Elephant Corridors in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu,' authors K. Kannan, P.S. Jayakumar Thampy, Arunachalam, and B. Ramakrishnan write: 'The Theppakadu-Mandradiyar Corridor is situated in the southeastern part of MTR. It is a crucial elephant corridor that connects Mudumalai and Bandipur tiger reserves to the east of the former and also the Sigur Plateau. Moyar Gorge in the northern side and Morgan Betta in the southern side naturally constrict this corridor. Theppakadu tribal settlements, the forest elephant camp, and lodges are at the exact centre of the corridor, naturally preventing the free movement of elephants.' During Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's visit to Theppakadu camp last month, he told reporters that there were plans to further improve the facility, stating that the new developments would be announced in due time. This was after he inaugurated the township for mahouts. An elephant expert, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Hindu: 'The sudden expansion of the camp could sever the connectivity that allows elephants to move freely between Mudumalai's core and buffer zones, as well as Bandipur.' However, Mr. Ramakrishnan, one of the authors of the 2014 paper, the head of the department of wildlife biology at the Government Arts College in Udhagamandalam, and a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Asian elephant specialist group, disagrees with conservationists' concern over the camp's development severing elephant pathways. 'As per notifications, all four corridors within MTR are located only in the buffer zones and none are in the core area. There are five to six other points between Theppakadu and Thorapalli where elephants are known to cross the Moyar,' he said. But conservationists reiterated that corridors within core areas had been left out of notified elephant corridors precisely because they were believed to have already been 'secured' due to being in a highly protected area of the MTR core. 'Moreover, when there have been clampdowns on the construction of private resorts in the MTR buffer zone, it seems contradictory for the government to set up a township in the core area and ponder upgrading the elephant camp,' said a conservationist from the Nilgiris, adding that while the Supreme Court had ordered for illegal structures within the tiger reserve to be demolished, the government seemed to have free reign to construct structures at the elephant camp. Another conservation and landscape ecologist said, 'The core area is the most precious habitat for the elephant. The new constructions have ignored the fact that the site was in the core area of the elephant population and in the most important corridor in south India. How is it possible to reduce habitat and increase the human footprint at a reserve, when the Bandipur Tiger Reserve has set an example by building new facilities outside its protected area?' 'The Theppakadu camp and the mahout village should be shifted to the periphery of the core zone like in Thorapalli. This way, mahouts can have better access to services, and tourism facilities can also be developed. Such intense human presence in Theppakadu creates a bottleneck in the elephant corridor connecting Bandipur and Mudumalai. It increases disturbance to wildlife, pollution, and noise, while the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has also clearly laid out plans to phase out tourism from within the core areas of the reserve,' he added. Rules exist for development projects to be undertaken with permissions from different regulatory bodies. 'The rules are even stricter for development within the core areas of tiger reserves, where permissions have to be obtained from the NTCA,' said a prominent Tamil Nadu-based conservationist. 'As a general rule, concrete structures should be kept to a minimum within protected areas, particularly tiger reserves. Moreover, the pressures arising out of such activities and associated infrastructure will only be detrimental to wildlife and biodiversity,' he added. When contacted, R. Kiruba Shankar, Field Director of MTR, said the Forest Department did not need permission from the NTCA for the construction of houses, since these are for staff involved in the daily protection of the tiger reserve. He said houses were constructed near existing ones, and it had no major impact on wildlife movement in the area. 'The electric fencing put up around the site is only for the protection of people living there,' he said, adding that there are no plans to build any concrete structures to further improve the camp. 'Right now, the plans only involve some temporary structures,' he said, adding that the department would approach the NTCA for relevant permissions before taking up any further development at the camp.
The Hindu
05-06-2025
- The Hindu
Conservationists raise concern over expansion of Theppakadu Elephant Camp
Conservationists and elephant experts have voiced their concern over the continued development of the Theppakadu Elephant Camp in the core area of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR). They are of the view that that the recent setting up of a township for 44 mahouts and their families, as well as plans to expand the camp itself into a 'world-class facility' may impact wildlife within the reserve. In a 2014 paper 'Prioritizing Elephant Corridors in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu,' authors K. Kannan, P.S. Jayakumar Thampy, Arunachalam, and B. Ramakrishnan write: 'The Theppakadu-Mandradiyar Corridor is situated in the southeastern part of MTR. It is a crucial elephant corridor that connects Mudumalai and Bandipur tiger reserves to the east of the former and also the Sigur Plateau. Moyar Gorge in the northern side and Morgan Betta in the southern side naturally constrict this corridor. Theppakadu tribal settlements, the forest elephant camp, and lodges are at the exact centre of the corridor, naturally preventing the free movement of elephants.' During Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's visit to Theppakadu camp last month, he told reporters that there were plans to further improve the facility, stating that the new developments would be announced in due time. This was after he inaugurated the township for mahouts. An elephant expert, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Hindu: 'The sudden expansion of the camp could sever the connectivity that allows elephants to move freely between Mudumalai's core and buffer zones, as well as Bandipur.' However, Mr. Ramakrishnan, one of the authors of the 2014 paper, the head of the department of wildlife biology at the Government Arts College in Udhagamandalam, and a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Asian elephant specialist group, disagrees with conservationists' concern over the camp's development severing elephant pathways. 'As per notifications, all four corridors within MTR are located only in the buffer zones and none are in the core area. There are five to six other points between Theppakadu and Thorapalli where elephants are known to cross the Moyar,' he said. But conservationists reiterated that corridors within core areas had been left out of notified elephant corridors precisely because they were believed to have already been 'secured' due to being in a highly protected area of the MTR core. 'Moreover, when there have been clampdowns on the construction of private resorts in the MTR buffer zone, it seems contradictory for the government to set up a township in the core area and ponder upgrading the elephant camp,' said a conservationist from the Nilgiris, adding that while the Supreme Court had ordered for illegal structures within the tiger reserve to be demolished, the government seemed to have free reign to construct structures at the elephant camp. Another conservation and landscape ecologist said, 'The core area is the most precious habitat for the elephant. The new constructions have ignored the fact that the site was in the core area of the elephant population and in the most important corridor in south India. How is it possible to reduce habitat and increase the human footprint at a reserve, when the Bandipur Tiger Reserve has set an example by building new facilities outside its protected area?' 'The Theppakadu camp and the mahout village should be shifted to the periphery of the core zone like in Thorapalli. This way, mahouts can have better access to services, and tourism facilities can also be developed. Such intense human presence in Theppakadu creates a bottleneck in the elephant corridor connecting Bandipur and Mudumalai. It increases disturbance to wildlife, pollution, and noise, while the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has also clearly laid out plans to phase out tourism from within the core areas of the reserve,' he added. Rules exist for development projects to be undertaken with permissions from different regulatory bodies. 'The rules are even stricter for development within the core areas of tiger reserves, where permissions have to be obtained from the NTCA,' said a prominent Tamil Nadu-based conservationist. 'As a general rule, concrete structures should be kept to a minimum within protected areas, particularly tiger reserves. Moreover, the pressures arising out of such activities and associated infrastructure will only be detrimental to wildlife and biodiversity,' he added. When contacted, R. Kiruba Shankar, Field Director of MTR, said the Forest Department did not need permission from the NTCA for the construction of houses, since these are for staff involved in the daily protection of the tiger reserve. He said houses were constructed near existing ones, and it had no major impact on wildlife movement in the area. 'The electric fencing put up around the site is only for the protection of people living there,' he said, adding that there are no plans to build any concrete structures to further improve the camp. 'Right now, the plans only involve some temporary structures,' he said, adding that the department would approach the NTCA for relevant permissions before taking up any further development at the camp.
New Indian Express
05-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Greener side of Bastar as forest cover increases
RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, in recent years, has been making headlines for Maoist-related campaigns involving security forces. At the same time, the extensive area has also witnessed the Chhattisgarh forest department's diligent engagement in achieving a remarkable feat of improving the forest cover density, reinforcing the region's reputation as a thriving green landscape. The India State of Forest Report (ISFR), published by the Forest Survey of India in Dehradun, reflects the results of these consistent efforts, including the utilisation of a satellite-based sensor with a spatial resolution of 23.5 metres. The report highlighted a significant enhancement in forest cover across multiple regions of the Bastar zone—an area larger than the state of Kerala and boasting several tourist attractions and sightseeing spots. With the acknowledged commitment to sustainable forest management and associated conservation initiatives in recent years, the forest department has undertaken various measures to enhance forest cover, thereby strengthening the green footprint. The progress in forest cover density is attributed to multiple factors, including continuous monitoring by the forest department, an effective soil and water conservation programme, removal of invasive weed species and community-led afforestation initiatives, as well as the deep-rooted environmental ethos of Bastar's tribal communities. 'The inspired vision of the Chhattisgarh government gave a boost to the state forest department's proactive and scientific approach that yielded impressive conservation results. The ISFR 2023 data reaffirms the state's commitment to sustainable forest where strategic interventions and active community participation has yielded a major boost on augmenting the forest cover', V Sreenivasa Rao, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force, told this newspaper. Several areas in Bastar have shown an upward transition in forest classification. Notable improvements are seen in Jagdalpur Circle — covering forest divisions of Bastar, Bijapur, Sukma and Dantewada and Kanker Circle that includes Keshkal, Bhanupratapur, south Kondagaon and Narayanpur forest divisions', a senior officer elucidated quoting the ISFR report. The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis confirmed that approximately 152 sq km of forest area have transitioned from Moderate Dense Forest to Very Dense Forest. Additionally, 93 sq km of land have improved from non-forest to open forest, while 156 sq km have progressed from open forest to moderate dense forest.
