The Ministry of Environment and Forests has asked states that are home to tigers that the big cat should be monitored annually using camera traps in all reserves, beginning November this year. This was conveyed to all tiger reserve field directors by Minister Jairam Ramesh at a three-day meeting held in New Delhi from May 9 to 11.
“A protocol will be developed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and Wildlife Institute of India for the monitoring soon and forest personnel will be trained in undertaking the programme,” Melghat Tiger Reserve field director A K Mishra told The Indian Express .
The MoEF calls this Phase IV of its tiger monitoring programme. “This will initiate intensive, annual monitoring of tigers at the tiger reserve level, across 41 protected areas in the country, commencing from November 2011,” a statement from the ministry says. “This marks an important milestone in our comprehensive tiger conservation strategy. Annual monitoring at the tiger reserve level will allow us to get regular updates on the number and health of tiger populations across the country, and will strengthen our conservation efforts,” Ramesh said. Until now, the monitoring was done over a four-year cycle.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/reserves-to-conduct-annual-tiger-monitoring-using-camera-traps/790568/
