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Indian Express
a day ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Report flags tiger-human conflict risk as prey base shrinks in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha
Even as India celebrates a rise in its tiger population, a new national assessment has flagged an emerging conservation challenge: some of the prey species that sustain these big cats — chital (spotted deer), sambar (large deer), and the vulnerable gaur (Indian bison) — are declining across key tiger landscapes in east-central India, particularly in Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. These findings come from a first-of-its-kind assessment of ungulates (hoofed mammals) conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), using data from India's 2022 tiger census. Ungulates form the bulk of a tiger's diet and are also critical to the forest ecosystem. Yet, across tiger habitats in these regions, they are facing increasing pressure from loss of habitat due to deforestation, development, agricultural expansion, urbanisation, human-wildlife conflict, and subsistence hunting. The report points to the broader consequences, drawing a direct link between low prey numbers and human-wildlife conflict. 'High bushmeat consumption and civil unrest in the region negatively impact wildlife presence, leading to low ungulate densities,' the report notes on Odisha. 'Palamau (in Jharkhand), an important part of the Central Indian corridor, faces challenges such as Left Wing Extremism, which affects wildlife presence,' it says. To revive prey populations, the report recommends on-site breeding of chital and sambar in secure enclosures designed to keep out predators. However, even as eastern and central Indian states are seeing prey depletion, several other landscapes show healthier trends. The Shivalik Hills and Gangetic plains — from Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh to eastern Bihar — as well as tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have a stable prey base. In the Western Ghats, chital, sambar, wild pigs, gaur and barking deer are widely distributed, while the hog deer and wild pigs dominate in the Northeast. The report Status of Ungulates in Tiger Habitats of India is based on field data from the 2022 tiger estimation, supplemented with data from the 2018 and 2014 cycles. While ungulates have been mapped in each cycle, this is the first time their data has been analysed and published separately. Unlike tigers, whose individual numbers are tracked, prey estimation focused on mapping the density of chital and sambar. For other ungulates, scientists estimated where these animals are found and how many there might be, based on direct and indirect evidence such as field surveys, dung trails, and camera trap images. India is home to over 3,600 wild tigers — about 70% of the global population — and their survival depends heavily on prey such as chital, sambar and gaur. Other species in their diet include nilgai, wild pigs, hog deer, barking deer and chinkara. Leopards, wild dogs, jackals and hyenas also rely on the same prey base. 'The quality of forests within 40 per cent of tiger reserves — and outside them — is low. These assessments (of ungulates) are crucial as we have to look beyond the numbers (of tigers). These are measurable biodiversity indicators and can guide us on how to address forest quality on a large scale,' said Qamar Qureshi, wildlife biologist and co-author of the report. According to the report, a density of 30 ungulates per square km can support four tigers in 100 square km. Tiger numbers may rise with prey density, but plateau at about 75 ungulates per sq km due to ecological constraints such as territoriality, competition and lack of habitat connectivity. Among the tiger reserves, Pench in Madhya Pradesh has one of the highest chital densities — nearly 54 per sq km. 'Maintaining quality habitat and reducing pressures on the prey base is crucial. We are working with WII to improve prey density,' said Gobind Sagar Bharadwaj, Additional Director General of Forests (Project Tiger) and NTCA Member Secretary. The report draws a link between low prey numbers and human-wildlife conflict. In areas like Tadoba (Maharashtra) and Ratapani (Madhya Pradesh), tigers are attacking livestock due to the lack of natural prey, sparking conflict with local communities. The report also identifies strongholds of prey abundance. Chital populations were found thriving across clusters like Rajaji-Corbett-Ramnagar-Pilibhit-Dudhwa (Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh), Kanha-Pench-Achanakmar (Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh), Bandhavgarh-Sanjay Dubri-Veerangana Durgawati (Madhya Pradesh), and the Nagarhole-Bandipur-BRT-Wayanad-Mudumalai-Sathyamangalam landscape (Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu). These clusters span diverse forest types — from the Terai-Duar savannas to the moist deciduous forests of Central and Southern India. An award-winning journalist with 14 years of experience, Nikhil Ghanekar is an Assistant Editor with the National Bureau [Government] of The Indian Express in New Delhi. He primarily covers environmental policy matters which involve tracking key decisions and inner workings of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He also covers the functioning of the National Green Tribunal and writes on the impact of environmental policies on wildlife conservation, forestry issues and climate change. Nikhil joined The Indian Express in 2024. Originally from Mumbai, he has worked in publications such as Tehelka, Hindustan Times, DNA Newspaper, News18 and Indiaspend. In the past 14 years, he has written on a range of subjects such as sports, current affairs, civic issues, city centric environment news, central government policies and politics. ... 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Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Indian Express
Wetter & not that hot: Why is summer of 2025 atypical so far?
The summer of 2025 has been unusual so far. High day temperatures, typically reaching between 40 degrees and 45 degrees Celsius, and heatwave days have been largely absent, and May, in particular, has been exceptionally wet in many parts of the country — with thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rain and, in some cases, hail. Pre-monsoon status TEMPERATURE: No record-breaking temperatures have been reported from any part of the country from the beginning of March until May 18 this year, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said. In March, maximum temperatures remained higher than normal over Central India, but the rest of the country experienced normal temperatures. In April, parts of Maharashtra, Odisha, and Jammu and Kashmir saw one or two short heatwave spells, and some longer episodes and above-normal heatwave days prevailed over Gujarat and Rajasthan. But as a whole, the country's Core Heatwave Zone (CHZ) — spanning Central, North, and Peninsular India between Gujarat and West Bengal, which is prone to heatwave conditions every year from March to June and occasionally in July — has not as yet experienced a significant heatwave episode this summer. A cooler-than-usual summer over large geographical areas of the country has contributed to keeping all-India average temperatures within the normal range. RAINFALL: Overall, Southern Peninsular India has benefited from intermittent spells of rain throughout the ongoing pre-monsoon season. This trend was observed in April over the Central Indian region. (See box). Why this trend this year The primary reason for a wetter- and cooler-than-usual summer so far has been the frequent passage of streams of western disturbances in the lower latitudes. Western disturbances are eastward-bound winds that originate in the Mediterranean Sea and cause rain or snow along their way. There were four such episodes in March and April, and there have been two in May so far. There has also been a continuous incursion of moisture from the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea into the Indian mainland, with the subsequent wind interactions causing rainfall and thundershowers. Following a thunderstorm event, the maximum temperature generally falls by 5-7 degrees Celsius. An especially wet May The month of May usually sees higher-than-normal temperatures, with North, Northwest and Central India experiencing heatwave conditions. This May, however, a heatwave has been reported on only one day — May 1 — and it has been limited to pockets of southwest Rajasthan, the IMD has said. In fact, May this year has been exceptionally wet over the South and Central Indian regions. Consecutive western disturbances during May 2-3 and May 3-7 led to prolonged wet spells accompanied by severe thunderstorms over Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Saurashtra-Kutch, Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi, Gangetic West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Mahe, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Over the past three weeks, Northwest India has experienced thunderstorms resulting in above normal rainfall and normal or below normal maximum temperatures. The weekly all-India rainfall (May 2-8) stood at a 20% surplus. As a result, the maximum temperatures over the West, Central, and Eastern Indian regions dropped by 2-5 degrees Celsius below normal. In addition, below normal minimum temperatures (departure 1-3 degrees Celsius) were recorded over the East and Central India regions, the IMD has said. In the week May 8-14, rainfall activity continued as a result of the May 8-13 western disturbance. The continuing moisture supply from the seas brought ample rainfall, lowering temperatures over Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Sikkim, Saurashtra, Kutch, Konkan, Goa, South Interior Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Mahe, Rayalaseema, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. The southwest monsoon advanced into parts of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Andaman Sea, and some areas of the Bay of Bengal during the week. The weekly all-India rainfall remained 35% above normal. Last week, the all-India weekly average maximum temperature was 3-5 degrees Celsius below normal over West, Central, and North India. Normal temperatures prevailed over remaining parts of the country. The minimum temperatures fell 1-3 degrees Celsius below normal over the West and Central Indian regions. Outlook going forward Even though normal or below temperatures and above normal rainfall have been recorded for the majority of days in May, the IMD has said there is a likelihood of the development of heatwave conditions over Northwest India towards the end of the month. Rajasthan and Haryana will experience a heatwave until May 23. Summer over North and Northwest India extends well into June and its end is marked by the onset of the southwest monsoon during the latter half of June or in early July. However, this year, the southwest monsoon is expected to hit the Kerala coast – considered the official onset of the southwest monsoon over India – on May 27. While onset is not an indicator of the future advance of the monsoon, if weather conditions are favourable, the possibility of a normal advance of the monsoon and an early onset over the country as a whole cannot be ruled out.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Time of India
Chikhaldara, Kashmir Of Vidarbha, Left In The Cold
Nagpur: Chikhaldara, the only hill station in Vidarbha region, fondly called 'Mini Kashmir' for its scenic beauty and pleasant climate, continues to suffer from prolonged neglect, failing to attract tourists even as thousands travel outside the state for vacations. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Despite its lush landscapes and cool weather from October to June, Chikhaldara — located near Amravati — remains underdeveloped, unlike its counterpart Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh, which is almost equidistant from Nagpur and sees robust tourist footfalls throughout the year. The recent terror attack in Pahalgam has once again sparked debate over developing safe and attractive tourism pockets within Maharashtra. However, Chikhaldara, despite its natural allure, continues to lag. According to travel trade experts, poor connectivity, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of accommodation are the main factors preventing Chikhaldara from evolving into a viable tourism hub. Irshad Mehdi, Managing Committee Member of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), said the region lacks sufficient hotel inventory and tourist activities. "The government had planned a skywalk, but it remains incomplete. Even if finished, it's unlikely to attract large crowds without supporting amenities. The availability of good resorts is essential. Some investments are finally coming in, but basic issues like limited food options — especially non-vegetarian — still persist," he said. TAAI Vidarbha Chapter Honorary Secretary Raju Akolkar emphasized the importance of strong road connectivity and quality accommodation. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Look at Madhya Pradesh — the tourism department has developed beautiful, well-maintained resorts in Pachmarhi and Kanha. Maharashtra's MTDC has done well in Tadoba, but Chikhaldara has been ignored," Akolkar noted. He added that consistent signage, resorts with good capacity, and well-maintained highways are necessary to encourage travel to Chikhaldara. Officials from the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) said the responsibility for Chikhaldara's development lies with CIDCO, while MTDC manages only two resorts in the area. "Capacity is low, but so is year-round demand. The government is trying to boost its popularity like other Central Indian destinations," an official said. While the region sees some traction during monsoon and winter, the lack of consistent infrastructure and promotional efforts continues to hold it back from becoming a year-round destination.
