WCS/CWS India under the leadership of Dr Ullas Karanth
has been developing new monitoring methodologies for tigers and prey species
for over two decades working in tandem with Karnataka Forest Department. Now National
Tiger Conservation Authority has decided to incorporate some of their key
suggestions as a part of the official protocols.
The key suggestions are
Annual monitoring of tiger source populations will be
done using capture-recapture. Individual identification of tigers will be done
using camera trap data or faecal DNA analysis. These protocols will work in
close association with a national tiger photographic data base repository to be
developed and maintained at NTCA.
Minimum sampling area will be 400 sq km at a time. Sampling
intensity aimed at will be 1,000 trap nights per 100 sq km.
The annual camera trap survey will be completed in
45-60 days.
If deployment of camera traps in an entire reserve –
or parts of it – is not feasible for any reason, faecal DNA samples will be
collected within 45-60 day survey period and analysed to arrive at tiger
numbers.
Protocols have been also laid down for estimating prey
densities using line transect surveys and the use of DISTANCE software.
The icing on the cake is that Dr. Rajesh Gopal (Member
Secretary — NTCA) and Sri PR Sinha (Director - WII) is working hand in hand with
Dr Ullas Karanth in introducing these refinements. Tahrcountry joins other
conservationists in applauding this path breaking team work.
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