On the occasion of Global Tiger Day, 2022, the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) Chief Executive Member (CEM) Pramod Boro launched the official website and released the annual wildlife monitoring results of the Manas Tiger Reserve.
The website was launched at a program held at the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Secretariat in Kokrajhar district of Assam on Friday.
The website has been developed in collaboration with AMTRON. Pramod Boro released the results of population estimation of all other major species found in Manas. This has been done for the first time in a holistic manner by the frontline staff of Manas by distance sampling.
Apart from providing basic information about the tiger reserve, the website shall also serve as an online booking portal from the next tourist season.
Addressing the gathering, Boro lauded the Manas Tiger Reserve authorities stating that there is still potential for tiger numbers to increase based on current prey availability and urged the Manas management to take appropriate steps in this regard. He stated that there is a need to enhance marketing and outreach of Manas in order to become a world class ecotourism destination.
Manas Tiger Reserve Field Director Dr Vaibhav C Mathur and BTC executive member for Forest Ranjit Basumatary were also present during the program.
Dr Vaibhav C Mathur informed that as per the latest camera trapping assessment, as stipulated by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the tiger reserve now has 52 adult tigers along with 8 cubs which is an increase of 8 and 4 respectively over the last year. 23 new tigers were reported in addition to 29 tigers reported last year.
He said that 381 camera trap stations were deployed by the tiger reserve authorities with camera trap support from conservation partners namely WWF-India, WTI and Aaranyak.
He said that the data was collected on line transects on elephant back using an android based digital platform by forest guards and Foresters deployed in different anti-poaching camps at Manas. The information collected was analysed at the Field Directorate of Manas and validated by the NTCA Tiger Cell at Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. As per this analysis, which shall form a baseline for all future assessments, there are 3220 hog deer, 1656 wild buffaloes, 1174 Indian bison (Gaur), 804 sambar deer and 2613 elephants.
