Move to boost tiger prey base in Sundarbans
21 August, 2010
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Move to boost tiger prey base in Sundarbans
24 Deer to be released to curb big cat straying
(from a report by TNN)
Kolkata, Aug 21: It was always suspected but there was no way it could be confirmed. Was it hunger that drove the Sundarban tigers out of the forest and led them to stray into the villages in search of food? The forest department, that had so far been reluctant to admit a prey shortage in the mangrove forests , has finally accepted that it is one of the reasons why big cats have been drifting into human settlements and that it needs to be checked.
The department has drawn up an elaborate plan — that includes introduction of prey animals and a predator-prey relationship study in collaboration with WWF — to restrict tigers to within the forest.
As a first step, 24 spotted deer from the Bibhutibhushan Wildlife Sanctuary in Parmadan, North 24-Parganas, were moved to Sundarbans on Thursday . They have now been kept in a natural enclosure in the forest to help them acclimatise to the new terrain. The deer are being provided food that will gradually be reduced before they are eventually let inside the forest.
“The idea is to shift the additional prey population from other sanctuaries to ensure that big cats at Sundarbans have enough to survive on. Prey shortage is indeed one of the reasons why tigers have been straying in Sunderbans, though possibly not the only one. We have released deer in the past but from now on this will be done on a regular basis. The move has been approved by the West Bengal Wildlife Advisory Board ,” said Pradip Vyas, director, Sunderban Biosphere Reserve .
The translocation, however, faltered at the very start with nine deer perishing on the way at Basanti Road. But the shifting of prey will continue, officials said.
A study to explore the predator-prey relationship in the Sundarbans — which is expected to help solve the mystery behind the man-eating tendencies of tigers here and shed light on why they have been straying so frequently — will commence by this winter. A project proposal will be ready by October-November after which the study will take off.
“The study will unravel the hunting pattern of the Sundarban tiger and help disclose the extent of prey shortage. That will help us know better exactly how many prey animals need to be introduced,” added Vyas.
Meanwhile, the deer are being medically examined to monitor if they are adjusting well to the alien conditions. “Being used to the protected environs of Parmadan, it could initially be difficult for them. So, the deer will be kept in the enclosure for as long as it takes for them to get used to the conditions,” explained Vyas.
Wildlife activists hailed the move. “This will go a long way in ensuring that the prey base remains intact in the Sundarbans. Apart from deer, wild boars should also be introduced,” said wildlife activist Joydip Kundu.
The deer at Parmadan had been isolated within the sanctuary after they were identified for translocation. Their blood and excreta samples were examined to make sure they could take the strain. “They are delicate creatures, not used to travelling long distances. Perhaps, the six deer couldn’t bear the rigor which is unfortunate. But this will not stall the translocation project,” said a forest official.
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