Palamu Tiger Reserve : Are there tigers in Jharkhand? After all, why are tigers visible only on camera in Palamu Tiger Reserve? You must have heard this question many times, from many people, or read it somewhere. Why can’t villagers and tourists see these tigers? What do these tigers eat because there is no official confirmation of their hunting of other animals? While searching for answers to many such questions of yours, BollywoodWallah talked to Kumar Ashutosh, Field Director of Palamu Tiger Reserve. In this conversation, we got information about many topics including tiger monitoring protocol, real number of tigers, reasons for their extinction. Let’s discuss those questions and read the answers of Field Director Kumar Ashutosh.
Palamu Tiger Reserve: What is tiger monitoring protocol?
Palamu Tiger Reserve is the only tiger reserve in Jharkhand among the nine tiger reserves of India. This area spread over 1,130 km square has Betla National Park and Palamu Wildlife Sanctuary where four tigers were seen last year. Its picture was released by Palamu Tiger Reserve. Since then, a tiger monitoring protocol has been created in the Asia-famous Palamu Tiger Reserve. Through this, every movement of the tigers is monitored and the data is prepared and sent to the Tiger Cell of the Wildlife Institute. After this the PTR is told what changes need to be made for the conservation of tigers. Kumar Ashutosh also said that the local monitoring protocol is being strengthened. Let us know what happens in this.
- Installing camera tracker in core area
- Day and night patrolling of forest guard and tractor M strip app in the area.
- Preparing data for everything that is connected to the online database
- Aggregate reports of pug marks, scat, videos and photos in one place
Palamu Tiger Reserve : After all, why are tigers visible only on camera?
Let us understand what the Tiger Monitoring Protocol is, now it is the turn to answer that question which is asked many times. After all, why are tigers visible only on camera? Most of the tourists claim that they have visited the reserve and Betla National Park, but they have never seen a tiger. So is the tiger visible only to the forest guards and officials of PTR? Answering this question, Field Director Kumar Ashutosh said that generally tourists do not go to dense forests. Other animals are seen in Betla National Park but the chances of seeing the tiger in the core area like Budha Pahad are more. However, he said that only two to three times the tourists have told that they have seen the tiger and the tourists have also shared the picture. He also told that a judge of Jharkhand High Court had also said last year that he saw a leopard while visiting the reserve. On tiger food, he said that they hunt other animals in the forest but whatever is left after that is eaten by leopards and wild boars, hence the remains are not found very often.
What does a tiger do after seeing it?
Kumar Ashutosh also said that Palamu Tiger Reserve keeps the record of all the tourists who claim to have seen a tiger. He also told that now tigers are being seen once or twice a month. Their movement is more during night time. That is why infrared ray technology is also used. He also informed that Betla is surrounded by a total of 9 villages. In such a situation, the chances of seeing tigers during the day are less. But the possibility of their coming through the 1 kilometer long corridor near Betla increases at night. At the same time, when he was asked what PTR does after seeing a tiger, he told that we install camera trackers in the area where it is claimed that a tiger has been seen. Many other important works are also done.
- Installation of camera tracker: When a tiger is spotted, camera tracker is increased in that area.
- Identification of male and female by pug mark: Pug mark is searched. From the pug mark it can be known whether the tiger is male or female. The nails of the male tiger are square and those of the female tiger are longer.
- Sending the stool sample to Dehradun: If camera tracker is not installed in the area, then its scat sample is sent to Dehradun and it is decided whether the animal seen is a tiger or a leopard.
How to know that this tiger is different?
Kumar Ashutosh, Field Director of Palamu Tiger Reserve, said that just as crores of people have lines on their hands but everyone is different, similarly many tigers can be identified by the stripes on their bodies.
How much funds are received and where are they used?
How much funds does Palamu Tiger Reserve get from the Government of India for tigers? In response to this question, Field Director Kumar Ashutosh said that we are given a fund of Rs 5 crore for this by the Central Government. Apart from the expenses of all the things used for tiger monitoring, this also includes the salaries of the forest guards. Their ration and field kits also come from this amount.
How many tigers does PTR have? How will the number of tigers increase?
At present, how many tigers are there in Palamu Tiger Reserve? In response to this question, Kumar Ashutosh said that last year we had confirmed four tigers through the tracker and we are considering this number as real. He also told that all these tigers are males. The existence of any female tiger has neither been confirmed nor has any doubt been raised. Kumar Ashutosh told that we are also trying for translocation and there is a possibility that soon tigers will be brought here from other places. He said that our effort is to bring female tigers so that with their help the number of tigers in PTR can increase quickly. However, he said that tigers can easily migrate up to 400 to 500 km and hence from here the tigers can reach Hazaribagh, Gumla as well as Chhattisgarh.
Highest number of tigers in 2024 in last 10 years
He said that in the year 2018, the number of tigers in PTR was declared zero. There was a lot of uproar after that, but today we have four tigers, which is the highest in the last 10 years. Referring to the year 2014, he said that at that time there was confirmation of existence of 3 tigers. He also said that earlier there was a lack of technology. Tigers were confirmed only on the basis of pug marks, so there was a possibility that the same tiger might be counted again and again. But, in the year 2006, a new protocol came under which tigers are confirmed only on the basis of camera tracker and stack. For this reason there has been a sudden change in the figures after 2006.
Tigers became extinct because trees were cut,
Claims are often made that many trees in the Palamu Tiger Reserve forest area have been cut, which is also said to be the reason for the extinction of tigers. But, the Field Director of PTR has a different opinion on this. He says that today you will not get 200 hectares of vacant area for grassland in PTR. In such a situation, the allegation of cutting trees is baseless. He said that I have been here for the last three years and replanting has been done in the area where trees were cut.
Why is grassland needed, what steps are being taken for wildlife?
‘There is a need to create grassland to create favorable conditions for tigers to live’, says Kumar Ashutosh. He told that we are working to create grassland in Betla so that the tigers can get the essential things including water which are necessary for their survival. He also said that solar pumps, cemented tubs and ponds have been made for wildlife. He told that after making solar pump, there is no shortage of water and water is available 24 hours.
Why was solar pump installed?
He said that animals often move towards villages in search of water, due to which there is scope for violent incidents. That’s why we have installed a solar pump. He told that last year there were 16 solar pumps, this time the number has increased to 18. Besides, sprinklers are also being installed which can sprinkle water in a 50 meter radius from one place. Also, keeping in mind the summer season, about 250 check dams and ponds have been built from Budha Pahad to Betla. Kumar Ashutosh said that he is working to increase the number of tigers to more than 9 in the coming two-three years.