Kolkata: Though the big cat may be facing a bleak future in parts of India, within the Sundarbans National Park its number is fortunately stable thanks to meticulous conservation efforts that include an almost 100-km-long nylon net strung across the villageforest interface to prevent straying of the beast.
“We execute extensive awareness campaigns among locals to dissuade them from venturing into the core area. Intensive patrolling is undertaken in the buffer and core areas and at strategic locations to ward off both trespassers and poachers. The endeavours brought about two-fold results – casualties decreased and the tiger population increased. Camera trappings in 2015-16 showed the figure exceeding 80, not including cubs and sub-adults,” an official of the Tiger Reserve told this correspondent.
Apart from poaching, which has been considerably contained, the threat to the carnivore comes from another quarter as the tiger may slowly lose its habitat owing to rise in sea level caused by global warming.