Tiger population at Nilgiris' MTR increases 28% in one year
With International Tiger Day being observed on July 29, this spike in number of tigers has delighted wildlife activists and conservationists. Forest managers say the key reasons behind the spike are removal of invasive species, and anti-poaching activities.
The reserve is spread across 688 hectares, and there are nearly 85 swamps in its core area, serving as major water sources.
'If we had not removed the invasive species, it would have spread across these swamps and destroyed prime habitats of the animals. The management of these swamps has played a key role in the conservation efforts,' said forest department sources.
Based on the Madras High Court's direction, the process of removing Lantana camara, with the involvement of tribals, is also in full swing in the core areas of MTR.
A senior forest official of MTR said, 'Of the total 688.59 hectares, 321 hectares is core zone and 367.59 hectares is buffer zone. Invasive species has occupied close to 40% of the total areas. Anti-poaching activities and habitat management play a major role in increasing prey density.
Ecological balance is maintained by the presence of major predators such as tigers and leopards and co-predators such as dholes and hyenas. Moreover, vultures play a key role in scavenging the dead animals.'
'There are 36 Anti Poaching Camps (APC) in MTR, and we are also planning to construct a new APC with the involvement of tribals belonging to the Kattu Naicker, Kurumba, Malasar and Paniya communities,' the official pointed out.
'We had cleared Lantana camara on 725 hectares in four forest ranges of the core area in 2024-25. These were converted as briquettes by the tribals, and six tonnes of such briquettes have been produced so far,' said the official.
The department staff carried out a baseline biodiversity assessment survey before and after the removal, through which they came to know that grass species grow naturally when the ground is exposed to the sun after the removal of Lantana camara.
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