15 tigers in Buxa Tiger Reserve

Guwahati, Sept 28 (PTI) The Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal currently has a minimum of fifteen tigers, as per a study by a wildlife body. "Of them, nine are female, three male and the gender of the rest cannot be ascertained", the head of 'Wildlife Genetics Laboratory of Aaranyak', Udayan Borthakur told PTI here today. He said the researchers used DNA based analysis techniques for the first time in the country to estimate population by using faecal (scat) samples of tigers in the Buxa Tiger Reserve.''Faecal samples collected by BTR authority were handed over to us and we used genetic markers to identify tiger scats from other sympatric carnivores such as leopard'', said Borthakur who runs the society for biodiversity conservation in the North East.A set of highly polymorphic microsatellite markers to identify individual tiger and sex chromosome linked markers to identify gender of the tiger scat samples were used and stringent laboratory conditions for assessing and minimizing error were maintained, he said. DNA-based techniques of identification of individual tigers might be considered as a practical and low cost option for population estimation and long term monitoring of this species in the protected areas of the country, Borthakur said.From geographical point of view, Buxa Tiger Reserve is contiguous with the Manas Tiger Reserve of Assam and Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan.

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