CHAMARAJANAGAR: Forest officials engaged in a three-day signs survey as part of the all-India tiger estimation, 2018 have sighted a large number of big cats in the five tiger reserves of the state. They have also found a large number of pug marks, scat and scratch markings, indicating a healthy population of tigers in the state.
As per the 2014 survey, Karnataka holds the record for the highest number of tigers in the country at 417.
Bandipur National Park Director Ambady Madhav told Deccan Chronicle that though there were no reports of tiger sightings on the first day of the survey, the staff sighted six tigers on the second day and another six on the last day. Of the tigers sighted on Tuesday, four were in N. Begur range alone.
Biligiriranga Hills, another tiger reserve, has also reported a large presence of tigers. Its Director Shankar said that the staff sighted tigers at K. Gudi and BR Hill ranges on Wednesday, while there were no sightings on the first two days of the survey.
Bhadra Tiger Reserve Director Kantharaju said that they sighted a tigress with two cubs at Lakkavali range on Wednesday, while another tiger was sighted at Thanigebailu range on Tuesday.
Nagarahole Tiger Reserve Director Manikantan said that they sighted eight tigers in three days of the survey.
Signs survey is held to determine the presence of tigers in a particular area. But the exact number of tigers will be known only after the officials take up camera trapping and analyse the images before arriving at the numbers. Camera trapping will begin on January 15.
