Experts on Sunday said the number of tigers in Odisha as pointed out in the All India Tiger Census-2014 report is not correct from scientific point of view. They suggested that tigers be counted by both camera and pugmark tracking methods for correct results.
“While tiger counting has not ended in Odisha, the recent Census, which reveals that the number of tigers across India has increased by 52.8 per cent and the number in Odisha has decreased by 12.5 per cent in 2014 in comparison to 2011, is not correct. Tigers should be counted by both pugmark identification and cameras to get correct results,” said experts at a seminar ‘Tiger Conservation and Fresh Census’ held by the Orissa Environmental Society (OES) in association with Indian science Congress, Bhubaneswar Chapter.
The seminar organised under former Sambalpur University Vice Chancellor Madhab Chandra Dash was attended by OES working president Dr Sundara Narayana Patro and former Research Officer in Similipal Dr lala Aswini Kumar Singh, Prof Chandrasekhar Sharangi, Dr Sudhakar Kar, Dr Bijay Kumar Swain, Binod Chandra Padhi, Prof Binayak Rath, Biranchi Narayan Mishra and JK Panigrahi among others.
In his speech, Dr Singh explained ‘Pugmark tracking’ was devised by late Saroj Raj Choudhury of Odisha Forest Department. He also compared this method with camera trap method. As the camera trap method is based on sampling and statistical extrapolation through computer programming, the tiger numbers may not be accurate, Singh analysed.
It was also viewed that records of tiger deaths and births occurring in different forest should be recorded so that tiger counting can be made up-to-date any time. According to the Tiger Census-2014, Odisha had 28 tigers in different forests against 32 in 2010 and 45 in 2006.Indian Science Congress, Bhubaneswar Chapter, Convenor Dr Jaya Krushna Panigrahi gave vote of thanks.