Tigress Spotted at Kudremukh National park: Will It Be Declared a Tiger Reserve ?

By: Rang7 Team February 6, 2012 Wildlife conservationists feared the re-introduction of mining in Kudremukh National Park in Karnataka. But the recent sighting of a tiger family at the park may help put these fears at rest. One of the forest staff on his regular patrol duty spotted a tigress with her three cubs at a pond in the Pandarmakki area of the Bhagavathi forest range of the National Park. This new sighting has only further strengthened the call for ban against mining in the park area. In fact wildlife conservationist and forest officers have noted that wildlife and fauna have been regenerating and flourishing after the mining activity had been stopped in the National Park. The cat family of four including mother and three cubs were spotted on January 26. The patrol officer followed the tigress and her family for almost 20 minutes. Kudremukh means horse face and Kudremukh National Park is named after a peak in the park forest range which is shaped like a horse face. Situated in a mountainous area and comprised of a thick forest range comprising of wide variety of fauna, the park is home to many a endangered animals and rare avian species including the Malabar giant squirrel, common langur, sloth bear, lion tailed macaque, barking deer and others. Now the sighting of a tigress and her cubs has added to the list of animals that can be sighted here and this has prompted the need to notify the area as Tiger Reserve which will further add security to the area while at the same time keeping a more vigilant eye on the poachers. “The sighting of a tiger is welcome and shows that the area has great potential to carry tiger population. Two months ago, during a routine visit, we had sighted close to 50 sambar deer in one herd, which is rare even in tiger reserves of the state," said B. K. Singh, Wildlife PCCF. After the incident was reported wildlife activist are increasing their tempo to declare Kudremukh National Park as a Tiger Reserve which will help keep illegal tourism activities in check. “The reported sighting of four tigers definitely brings some cheer. The process of natural recovery is slowly kicking in and it is vitally important to ensure that Kudremukh National Park is fully insulated from the pressures of tourism and allowed to recover. The current tourism policies adopted in deciduous forests like Bandipur and Nagarahole cannot be introduced in the sensitive rain forest ecosystem of Kudremukh," said Praveen Bhargav, Trustee, Wildlife First Organisation. However local political leaders who have a vested interest in mining are against the idea of the National Park being declared or notified as a Tiger Reserve. They are fighting on the basis that notifying the area as a Tiger Reserve will lead to it being a wildlife protected area and this means evicting forest dwellers in large numbers. However according to the forest department more than 100 families have already agreed for a re-settlement programme out of Kudremeukh National Park in a voluntary eviction programme sponsored by the centre. So all the other allegations are baseless. Kudremukh National Park is divided into four ranges Kudremukh, Kerekatte, Kalasa, Shimoga. The park is situated in the Western Ghats and spread over three districts of Karnataka; Dakshin Kannada, Udupi and Chikmagalur. Kudremukh National Park has many tourist attractions including waterfalls, pilgrimage shrines and is considered a trekker’s paradise. http://www.rang7.com/news/national-park/tigress-spotted-kudremukh-national-park:-will-declared-tiger-reserve-1011.htm