KOLKATA: Four to eight Bengal tigers will be fitted with radio collars and released in a small patch of the Sunderbans by this year-end to study the behaviour of big cats that inhabit the mangrove forests.
It will also aid in a more accurate estimation of the tiger count as the current figure of 275 tigers is widely disputed. Speaking to TOI on the sidelines of a symposium on the future of Bengal tiger, Sunderbans Biosphere Reserve director Pradeep Vyas admitted that the figure was a guesstimate. "Radio collar tracking and camera trapping are scientific means that allow a more accurate estimation than pug mark readings," Vyas said
The programme is also crucial to determine if the mangrove tigers protect territorial rights as fiercely as tigers elsewhere or have diffused and overlapping territories due to the peculiar nature of their habitation. "Precious little is known about the behaviour of Bengal tigers in the Sunderbans and wildlife researchers from all over the country are eagerly looking forward to the project," said wildlife activist Bittu Sahgal.
While tiger experts believe big cats in the Sunderbans behave no differently than those elsewhere, field officers in the Sunderbans have long held that inundation of the forest floors by tides twice a day has led to diffused territories shared by tigers.
"Tigers are aggressively territorial solitary animals. A dominant male constantly patrols his territory to ward off rivals. Tigers mark their territory by spraying urine on trees, bushes and rocks in their area and also leave scratch marks on trees and on the ground. However, there is a belief that in the Sunderbans, tides wash away such markings and hence territorial dominance may not be as fierce. Whether it is true can be determined once the movement of radio collared tigers are analyzed," said legendary tiger man Fateh Singh Rathore.
Two tigers that were fitted with radio collars in the Sunderbans earlier this year are already being tracked via satellite at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). The territory of 35 sq km covered by one of these collared tigers has left foresters stunned as they expected tigers in the Sunderbans to remain restricted to a much smaller area. "It moved into Bangladesh. We do not know if it had originally strayed into Indian territory from Bangladesh or it has now strayed across the border. The tiger crossed its command area despite the presence of enough prey. Whether this is an aberration or general behaviour can be ascertained when more tigers are radio-collared," Vyas said.
The German radio collars that cost around Rs 4 lakh will be funded by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, formerly Project Tiger.
The official said male and female tigers will be trapped beginning October to fit them with radio collars. "Usually, male and female territories overlap in the breeding season. But at other times, both guard their territory zealously with the male tiger being more assertive. The year-long project will reveal whether the tigers here behave in a similar manner," said Bangladeshi tiger researcher Monirul H Khan.
A caption to the photograph accompanying the story "Call for stricter poaching laws" erroneously mentions Pradip Vyas, director of Sunderban Biosphere Reserve, as S S Bisht. The error is regretted.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/More-tigers-to-be-radio-collared/articleshow/6442547.cms
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