The World Wide Fund for Nature has shared some interesting facts about tigers. Tigers have been around for 2 million years. In the last 150 years, their numbers have decreased by almost 95 percent. India has the largest tiger population in the world, with over 3000 tigers. Tigers have soft toe pads and can move quietly, covering 6 to 12 miles while hunting at night. They prefer to drag their prey into cover before eating it, and when they leave a kill, they cover it by raking leaves, dirt, grass, and rocks over the carcass.
In Telangana State, the number of tigers is expected to increase despite facing challenges in the past four years. The Prime Minister released the fifth All India Tiger Census figures, revealing that the population of tigers rose from 2967 in 2018 to 3167 in 2023. The state-wise details will be released on Saturday in Jim Corbett National Park on International Tiger Day.
The Monitoring Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) report shows that two tiger reserves in Telangana are in the ‘Very Good’ and ‘Good’ categories. The Kawal Tiger Reserve remained in the ‘Good’ category, while Amrabad Tiger Reserve improved its score compared to the last census. Efforts should be made to strengthen tiger protection, control poaching, address environmental concerns like deforestation, conserve water, and combat forest fires. These efforts will help safeguard the tiger population and their habitats for future generations.
The Amrabad Tiger Reserve in Telangana is witnessing a thriving tiger population. Various measures have been implemented to enhance the prey base, improve water resources, expand grasslands, and involve the local Chenchus tribe in protection efforts. Eco-tourism has also been promoted, benefiting both conservation and local communities. As of now, there are 22 tigers recorded in the Amrabad Tiger Reserve, but this number is expected to increase to 30 with the presence of breeding tigers.
