There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
Population of Bhutan tigers is isolated and very small, only around 100-120 individuals.
Genetic analysis -
¨Although the difference in microsatellite markers and combinations used in different studies limit quantitative comparisons to other parts of Bengal tiger range, the amount of genetic diversity observed in our study (He=0.75) is higher than the genetic diversity in Bengal tigers overall (He = 0.72)(Luo et al., 2004) and the tigers on the Indian sub-continent (He = 0.70)(Mondol et al., 2009c). However, the landscapes in the Western Ghats (He = 0.76)(Reddy et al., 2012b) and Central India (He = 0.81)(Sharma et al., 2012) are known to have higher genetic diversity. The nearest Indian tiger populations to Bhutan for which genetic data exist is the Brahmaputra floodplains in Assam 73 (He=0.63) and the Buxa Tiger Reserve (He=0.67) in West Bengal (Borthakur et al., 2013, 2011). Our results suggest that tigers in Bhutan are genetically diverse.¨