Tiger population in Bengal stands at 96

Kolkata: The tiger population estimated at Sunderban Biosphere Reserve (SBR) is 96 with the Sunderban Tiger Reserve (STR) having 74 and the forest division in South 24-Parganas having 22 big cats.

The exercise was carried out by analyzing data from 1307 camera traps installed at 726 locations under SBR.

The findings was announced by state Forest minister Jyotipriya Mallick on Wednesday, a day ahead of the Global Tiger Day (July 29) in presence of senior officials of state Forest department. The total area of STR with its four ranges Sajnekhali Wildlife Sanctuary, Basirhat Range, National Park West Range and National Park (East) Range is 2584. 92 sq kms while the three tiger bearing ranges in South 24-Parganas forest division comprising three ranges- Matla, Raidighi and Ramganga spreads across 1111.07 sq kms.

The highest number of tigers 24 has been found in the National Park (East ) Range followed by 22 in South 24-Parganas Forest division. Cameras were installed in STR between December 5 and 11 in 2020 and retrieved between January 8 to 12 in 2021. In case of South 24-Parganas forest division the camera installation took place between January 8 and 12 this year and retrieved between February 16 to 18. "The camera traps have revealed that some of the big cats at least half a dozen travelled long distances and shifted to the Bangladesh side," a senior official of the department said.

V K Yadav, state Chief Wildlife Warden said that the study area was divided into grid cells of 2 sq km each and if it could have been made more intensive then the data would have been better. The West Bengal forest department is set to get 14 tigers from Kaziranga in Assam to be released at Buxa National Park in North Bengal, state minister Jyotipriyo Mallick said.

The forest minister said that 10 female and four male tigers would be brought from Kaziranga forest as their habitat has similarities with the Buxa forest area.