PIONEEREDGE NEWS SERVICE | Ramnagar
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) will begin the nationwide tiger census this October, covering all tiger reserves across the country. The census in Corbett Tiger Reserve will also commence in the same period. According to Corbett Tiger Reserve director Saket Badola, the census is conducted every four years. Starting in October, the exercise will continue for nearly four months and the results will be officially released on Global Tiger Day, July 29 next year.
More than 1,500 camera traps will be installed to capture tiger movements. The census will be carried out in two phases — the first in Ramnagar and the second in Kalagarh. Photographs collected in Corbett will be thoroughly checked and all data will be sent to NTCA for analysis, he said.
Tiger population trends in Corbett show a steady rise. In 2006, the reserve recorded 150 tigers, which increased to 184 in 2010, 215 in 2014, 235 in 2018 and 262 in 2022. Experts anticipate a further increase in numbers in this year’s census.
Spread over 1,288.32 square kilometres, Corbett provides an average home range of about 12 square kilometres for each tiger, typically shared with two to three tigresses. However, as tiger numbers continue to rise, their territories are becoming increasingly restricted, raising the risk of human-wildlife conflict.
