Ranchi, Jul 29 (PTI) Tiger count in Jharkhand's Palamau Tiger Reserve (PTR) rose to one from nil in 2018, says the latest tiger status report by the Centre issued on the occasion of the International Tiger Day on Saturday.

However, there is no mention of tiger in the rest of the state.

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"In the latest estimation report, one tiger has been reported in the PTR through genetic analysis of tiger scat," Sasikar Samanta, the principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF-Wildlife), told PTI.

"The report, however, did not mention of tiger presence anywhere in the state," he said.

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He said presence of a tiger in PTR is good news for Jharkhand, as there were no big cats in 2018.

However, the 2018 All India Tiger Estimation (AITE) report had mentioned five tigers in Jharkhand, but nil in PTR. At that time, the state forest department had no idea where the five tigers were sighted, if not in PTR.

The then state chief wildlife warden PK Verma had also decided to write to WII and NTCA for a clarification on tiger locations. “We want to know where the five tigers were found, if not in PTR,” he had said.

During the celebration of 50 years of Project Tiger in Mysuru on April 9, the country's tiger population had been declared at 3,167.

Further analysis of data, done by the Wildlife Institute of India, from both camera-trapped and non-camera-trapped tiger presence areas, said the upper limit of tiger population is estimated to be 3,925 and the average number is 3,682, reflecting a commendable annual growth rate of 6.1% per annum, an official said.

Madhya Pradesh reported the largest tiger population of 785, while Karnataka and Uttarakhand reported 563 and 560 tigers, respectively.

Samanta said various works including grassland development, setting up of soft release centres and relocation of villages are being done to increase tiger population in the state.

"We hope the tiger count will increase in the next tiger estimation report," he said.

PTR field director Kumar Ashutosh told PTI, "The tiger estimation exercise was carried out in October 2021 to March 2022. We had sent 14 scat samples to the Wildlife Institute of India. They had confirmed that two scat samples belonged to tigers. We had expected that at least two tigers would be there in the latest report. But, WII officials said that both the scats were of one tiger.”

In March, a tiger had been spotted in PTR, after more than three years. The tiger had reportedly come from neighbouring Chhattisgarh and it returned after about 20 days of stay in Jharkhand, he said.

“This tiger did not feature in the latest report, as it was spotted this year,” he said.

Spread over 1,129 sqkm, PTR, which was constituted in 1974 under Project Tiger, had 22 tigers in 1972, a former principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), Jharkhand, Pradeep Kumar wrote in his book ‘Main Baagh Hoon', which was published in 2016.

The reserve recorded its highest tiger population in 1995 with 71 tigers. Thereafter, the population of big cats started declining. There were 44 in 1997, 34 in 2002, 10 in 2010 and 3 in 2014, according to the book.

According to wildlife experts, human interference, domestic cattle and reduced prey base are the major hurdles in way of tiger growth.

Ashutosh said there are around 34 villages within the PTR limits. "We have identified eight villages that needs to be relocated outside the PTR in phases. In the first phase, two villages would be shifted."

Four soft release centres for Cheetals are under construction in the reserve for augmenting the prey base for predators, while the fifth one is in the process of being set up at Budha Pahad area, once a Maoist bastion.

"We also have a plan for translocation of tigers from other reserves of the country after improving the prey base," the PTR director said.

Of the 1,129.93 sqkm area of PTR, 414.08 sqkm is marked as core area (critical tiger habitat) and the remaining 715.85 sqkm as buffer zone. Of the total area, 226.32 sqkm is designated as Betla National Park. In the buffer zone, 53 sqkm is open for tourists.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)