Tigers from the North East India are genetically distinct while the tigers from Odisha and Jharkhand constitute a unique gene-pool, but are rapidly declining. This and various other observations were presented on the inaugural day of the 29th Annual Research Seminar at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) here on Thursday.
Speaking on status and its implications for conserving tigers in India, WII scientist YV Jhala said that major improvements in tiger populations and occupancy were observed in Uttrakhand,Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh while the Western Ghat, Eastern Ghat and Sundarban tiger populations were stable.
Tigers from north east are genetically distinct while tigers from Odisha and Jharkhand constitute a unique gene-pool, but are rapidly declining. He said that there is scope to improve tiger status in Sanjay-Guru Ghasi Das-Palamu, Srisailam-Sri Venkateshwara, Simlipal-Satkosia, and Indravati-Kawal landscapes. As threats to tigers and their ecosystem remain, the increase in tiger population from 1706 tigers in 2010 to 2226 in 2014 should not lead to complacency. Continued public support and motivated political will is the key to ensure their survival, he stressed.
Speaking on technical and management insights in reintroduction-based recovery of large mammals in India, institute scientist Dr K Ramesh cited reintroduction of tigers in Panna tiger reserve, one-horned rhinoceros in Dudhwa tiger reserve and Gaur in Bandhavgarh tiger reserve.
In all these cases, the conservation turn around was possible due to science based recovery strategy, appropriate technological integration, multi-institutional framework, capacity building of frontline staff, competent leadership at various levels and intensive post-release monitoring.
lessons learnt from these cases offer species-specific inputs for responding to future extinction crisis in India and augment recovery efforts for such species elsewhere, he said.
Speaking on integrating linear infrastructure development with biodiversity conservation, institute scientist Bilal Habib said that with the government currently planning and implementing massive development of roads under different programmes, challenges emanating for biodiversity conservation are likely to be further compounded.
However, the synergies between highway agencies and the wildlife conservation community have a potential to create unique opportunities for strategising investments in the road transport sector; maximizing economic benefits while simultaneously using smart green transportation infrastructure to ensure permeability of wildlife gene flow across such structures.
Various issues were addressed in presentations in technical sessions on the inaugural day. Earlier, the additional director general (Wildlife) Vinod Ranjan, WII director Dr VB Mathur and institute dean Dr PK Mathur also addressed the gathering.