AP foresters to improve tiger habitat for growth of its population in next four years

Vijayawada: Buoyed by the 69 per cent growth in tiger population from 47 to 75, as per the All India Tiger Estimation-2018-22 in Andhra Pradesh, foresters are taking up habitat improvement so as to facilitate exponential growth of tiger numbers in the next four years.

The national tiger census carried out in Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve and Papikonda National Park in 2022 found its population to be 73 and two respectively, taking the total number of tigers in the state to 75.

After witnessing such a substantial rise in tiger population, the forest authorities have come up with a habitat improvement programme with the twin objectives of sustaining the existing population and facilitating growth of its population further.

Accordingly, they would facilitate rapid growth of tall grass by clearing all other weeds so that it helps provide good feed and shelter to the herbivores. They would burn all unwanted weeds and make firelines to avoid forest fires especially in the summer.

They say that the tall grass lines facilitate the growth of the herbivores population and this would help the carnivores, mainly tigers, to get good feed and grow healthy and also the growth of their population.

 The authorities would also be providing water sources like saucer pits.

 These would help prevent tigers from straying into human habitations in forest- fringe villages.

 Except in a case of a tiger attack on a villager in the deep forest area during his collection of firewood, no case of tiger attack on humans was reported in NSTR in the recent times.

However, a few cases were reported where the tigers strayed into human habitations and attacked livestock.

The foresters would also be intensifying the anti-poaching drive especially in NSTR  by taking up regular foot patrolling in vulnerable areas in addition to keeping electronic surveillance to also monitor illegal activities.

Deputy director of Project Tiger, Markapur, Vignesh Appaevu said, “As tiger population registered a growth of 69 per cent in the last four years in AP, we are taking a series of steps to further improve their habitat.”

Habitat facts

- Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve is spread over nearly 3,528 sq km while Papikonda National Park is located over 1,013 sq km

- NSTR is the largest tiger reserve in India

- Removal of obnoxious weeds helps rich growth of biodiversity