The ranges of the Rajaji national park will be reopened to the tourists from Tuesday after remaining closed to tourists for three days to enable survey of various signs in the ongoing tiger census.
The survey for signs of tiger and other wild animals was carried out in all the 59 beats of Rajaji with tourists being barred from entering these areas for three days.
According to the Rajaji field director SP Subudhi, during the three days, 59 teams surveyed transacts in all the 59 beats of the national park to look for pug marks, scratches, scat and other signs of tigers, leopards, hyena, bear, jackal and other wildlife along with a survey of the vegetation.
“Signs of vultures were also sought for as these birds are considered indicators of kills by big cats. The tourists were not allowed inside the national park for three days as their movement increases the chances of the tyre tracks of their vehicles erasing pug marks and other signs of wildlife. Tourists will be allowed to enter the national park from Tuesday,” he added.
The tiger census here is being conducted in two phases- camera traps and survey
of signs. Earlier, in the first phase 100 pairs of camera traps had been installed in Rajaji for the tiger census which was started in December last year.
According to the national park administration, the camera traps had captured signs of good tiger movement in Rajaji with at least three tigers and three tigresses being captured by the camera traps.
The census using the mark-capture-recapture system is also being conducted in the proposed buffer zone area of the tiger reserve which Rajaji is slated to be converted to.
According to Subudhi, all the data collected during the exercise will be handed over to the Wildlife Institute of India which will then compile and interpret it.