A striped hyaena has been caught on camera for the first time in Corbett tiger reserve. There have been reports of hyaenas being sighted here in the past but this is the first time that actual photographic evidence of the hyaena's presence has been captured, state Corbett officials. Apart from being a sign of the hyaena's range extending to Corbett, this could also be seen as a positive sign of the state of wildlife and ecology in the area.
According to the Corbett director Samir Sinha, the striped hyaena was recently captured in camera along the southern boundary of the tiger reserve. It was also sighted a few days later by the Corbett deputy director. With this the total number of mammal species reported from Corbett tiger reserve has gone up to 56.
The striped hyaena is a protected species, listed in Schedule III of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 and listed as Near Threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list with an estimated global population of less than 10,000 mature individuals. Hyaenas play a very important role in the ecosystem as scavengers, feeding mainly on carcasses. They are primarily nocturnal and live in small groups.
Talking to The Pioneer, the Corbett deputy director Dr Saket Badola said, "Though there were reports of hyaena being spotted in Corbett in the past, but this is the first time that a striped hyaena has been caught in camera in the tiger reserve. The photograph of the adult hyaena was captured near the southern boundary of Corbett though we are not revealing the exact location. We have already monitored the southern boundary area for wildlife security but with this we will also focus on conducting ecological monitoring of the area," he said.
The Corbett deputy director added that the photograph while establishing the presence of hyaena in Corbett also shows the range extension of the animal.
Striped hyaenas are known to be inhabitants of parts of Rajaji National Park and few other areas in the State. The Rajaji National Park is believed to have about a dozen hyaenas. Its presence is also considered to be an indicator of the ecological balance. Since the hyaena is a shy animal which prefers to live in undisturbed areas, the photographic evidence of its presence in Corbett comes as good news for wildlife enthusiasts.