30th June, 2017

KOLKATA: For the second year in a row, tiger population in the Indian Sunderbans has shown an increase. This year, a camera-trap exercise has captured at least six more tigers in the mangroves.
According to a forester associated with the exercise, 87 unique frames were captured by the camera traps in the mangroves, including the tiger reserve area and the South 24-Parganas forest division. The count was 81 last year. The latest exercise was conducted between December 2016 and June this year.

Eighty-seven unique frames means the mangroves is home to at least 87 tigers, with the possibility of more big cats being present, said the forester. “It’s not possible to photograph all the tigers in a forest,” he said.

While the mean figure is yet to be analysed, officials expect the number to be around 90 this time, compared to last year’s 86.

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