Why in the News?
For the first time, India has conducted a detailed assessment of ungulate species (mammals with hoofs on their foot, like deer, pigs, antelopes, and bison), which are vital prey for tigers and important for forest ecosystems.
About Status of Tiger Prey in India:
- The report titled “Status of Ungulates in Tiger Habitats of India” was released by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), using data from the 2022 All-India Tiger Estimation.
- This is the first national-level assessment of ungulates, the hoofed mammals like chital, sambar, gaur, wild pig, nilgai, which form the core prey base of tigers.
- Ungulates are essential not only for tiger survival but also for maintaining healthy forest ecosystems, supporting biodiversity, and promoting soil and vegetation health.
- The study stresses that tiger numbers alone are not enough; prey density and habitat quality must also be monitored to assess ecosystem health.
- It establishes that 30 ungulates per sq km are needed to support 4 tigers per 100 sq km, but growth is constrained by territoriality, interspecies competition, and habitat fragmentation.
Key Highlights:
- Prey Decline in East-Central India: Significant decline in Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh due to habitat loss, deforestation, urbanization, mining, subsistence hunting, civil unrest, and Left Wing Extremism.
- Thriving Regions: Healthier prey populations in the Shivalik-Gangetic Plains (Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar), Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, the Western Ghats, and Northeast India.
- Species Trends:
- Chital is the most widespread and adaptable species.
- Sambar and gaur remain stable in central and southern forests.
- Hog deer and barasingha show sharp decline due to wetland degradation and habitat isolation.
- Human-Wildlife Conflict:
- In low-prey areas like Tadoba and Ratapani, tigers prey on livestock, increasing conflict.
- Wild pigs and nilgai damage crops, leading to retaliatory killings and local resentment.
- Conservation Measures:
- On-site prey breeding in predator-proof enclosures
- Forest restoration and better habitat connectivity
- Focused protection of sanctuaries and buffer zones
- Reducing habitat fragmentation caused by roads, railways, and power lines
About Tiger Conservation in India
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| [UPSC 2001] A pesticide which is a chlorinated hydrocarbon is sprayed on a food crop. The food chain is: Food crop – Rat -Snake – Hawk.
In this food chain, the highest concentration of the pesticide would accumulate in which one of the following? Options: (a) Food crop (b) Rat (c) Snake (d) Hawk* |
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