By The Hindu Bureau
Copyright thehindu
The Forest Department has begun the estimation of tigers, leopards and other animals using camera traps outside the protected areas in the Valparai plateau, largely comprising tea and coffee estates.
The exercise, which follows guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), will cover private estates and other areas falling within the jurisdictions of the Valparai and Manambolly forest ranges of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR).
The Department has created 150 grids where a total of 300 camera traps have been placed for the estimation. Estates in the Valparai plateau are spread across 220 sq.km. Though 125 grids of 2 sq.km. each are enough to cover the total estate area of 220 sq.km. for the exercise as per guidelines, the Department created 25 grids additionally in places with recurring incidents of human – animal conflicts.
D. Venkatesh, Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director of ATR, said the exercise will help the Department identify estate areas frequented by tigers and leopards, where measures can be improved for their protection, besides intensifying efforts to prevent human – animal conflict.
Devendra Kumar Meena, Deputy Director of Pollachi Division of ATR, is supervising the estimation.
The data on the presence of the big cats using estates, especially leopards, will be useful for the Department in sensitising plantation workers to avoid negative interactions with the carnivores.
Though the exercise is primarily aimed at monitoring tigers and co-predators, the Department is also hopeful of getting significant data on other animals, including sloth bears. Valparai plateau has witnessed multiple instances of sloth bear attacks.
K. Anvar, biologist with ATR, said the cameras were fixed in all the 300 grids in the last several days. Their functioning will be tested for a few days, before starting the actual estimation.
