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Animal Corridors, Movement & Range Expansion
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Animal Corridors, Movement & Range Expansion
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Sahyadri Tiger Reserve used by 8 tigers: Forest department
Although devoid of breeding tiger population which became locally extinct, the tiger is a was originally meant to accept the transients overflowing from Aadhar Tiger Reserves in the southern part of Sahyadri-Konkan Conservation Landscape  *This image is copyright of its original author The Maharashtra forest department said the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR) was being frequently used by 8 tigers. Nestled in the rugged terrains (350m-1,250m altitude gradient) of northern Western Ghats, STR spread over 1,166km² area is western Maharashtra’s only tiger reserve, comprising Chandoli National Park and Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary. It was declared a tiger reserve in 2008, butwith no permanent resident population. V Clement Ben, chief conservator of forest, Kolhapur and former field director of STR said, “Based on secondary data collection including scat analysis and model-based predictions for prey base per square km, we have identified the presence of eight tigers in STR. While the number is more than what the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had assessed in 2014 (five-seven tigers), this is not a resident tiger population. These are dispersing tigers but the data indicates habitat improvement and increase in prey base, thus allowing more tigers to move through this landscape.” The details were shared by Ben after a research paper was published on Saturday in CATnews, a newsletter which is a component of the Species Survival Commission of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). While camera trap images of the tiger were captured in May 2018, the research paper jointly conceived by the state forest department and Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun was published after 25 months. “STR is suitable to carry the capacity of resident wild tigers akin to tiger reserves in Vidarbha,” said Ben, a contributing author of the paper. He added, “This ecosystem can now sustain wild tiger population if translocation is experimented.” WII scientists said there was a fear that tigers had become functionally extinct in this region since there were no photographic records since 2011. “Even though there are no resident tigers in STR currently, the one documented four times in camera trap images (May 22-24, 2018) had also dispersed through this region,” said Ramesh Krishnamoorthy, corresponding author of the paper and principal investigator, WII. He added, “Conservation efforts have led to an improvement in prey population, reduced human disturbances, and enhanced protection of fragmented forests.” Currently, the data indicates the nine animals (wild boar, deer etc.) per sqkm. “It needs to be at least 15 or 16 to have a healthy resident population,” said Ben. The findings of the research paper were part of the 10-year-monitoring and habitat development exercise of STR which started in 2016. A review of experimental tiger translocation would be taken later this year. “It can commence by releasing one male and one female,” added Krishnamoorthy. The narrow boundaries of the reserve have fragmented forest cover owing to human habitation in the buffer as well as core areas. The reserve has dense and open forests, scrublands, barren areas, water bodies, and agricultural lands making it a unique ecosystem. “Now, our attempt is to have social acceptance from villagers to be relocated from the core STR areas, and concentrate on habitat development to increase tiger presence,” said Krishnamoorthy who welcomed the forest department’s latest decision to declare the 29.53 sqkm area in Dodamarg, Sindhudurg as Tillari Conservation Reserve. “The protected area will act as a stepping stone for tiger source population from sanctuaries in Goa and Karnataka. We must also realise that while developing a conducive environment for more tigers at STR, protecting the entire Sahyadri range is crucial for the water security and recharge capacity for western Maharashtra,” he said. Recently the Tillari Conservation Reserve was declared Upar a small patch of forest land that would act as a north-south corridor to bypass some mining areas; (06-24-2020, 09:12 PM)BorneanTiger Wrote: Maharashtra reserves forest for elephants who came from Karnataka, in the area of Tillari in Sindhudurg District: Finally out!.. An interesting paper on Status of tiger in Sahyadri Tiger Reserve & connectivity issues in the larger Sahyadri landscape between Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka. Recent record of tiger from Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, Indiahttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/342491630_Recent_record_of_tiger_from_Sahyadri_Tiger_Reserve_India
Eastern Thailand tiger footage offers renewed hope for big cat population
 *This image is copyright of its original author Justhine De Guzman Uy1 week ago Three Indochinese tigers inspect a camera trap under a tree in Thailand’s Dong Phayayen-Khao forest (Freeland Foundation)  *This image is copyright of its original author There is renewed hope for Asia’s wild tiger population with images from camera traps similar to those captured in the video above recording showing tiger cubs in Thailand’s Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai (DPKY) forest. Published in Biological Conservation, the survey has provided conservationists and authorities with hope that the decade-old DPKY Tiger Recovery Project (TRP) may meet its goal of increasing the local tiger population by 50 per cent by 2026. It is currently believed that there are only 221 Indochinese tigers in ASEAN — in Thailand and Myanmar — with local populations in Lao PDR, Vietnam, and Cambodia believed to already be extinct. According to the researchers, the population density in the area of the study is only 0.63 tigers per 100 square kilometres (about 39 sq.miles) — much lower than other habitats.  *This image is copyright of its original author A previous study in Thailand’s Western Forest Complex (WEFCOM) in Huai Kha Khaeng between 2005 and 2012 estimated a density ranging from 1.27 to 2.09 tigers per 100 kilometres. While differences in study methodology makes exact comparisons difficult, there is at least suggestion of an improvement in the DPKY population. Monitoring crucial to preventing local extinctions For this study the researchers said they used a spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) analysis. Yet, with few tigers out there, reliable results were difficult. In this situation, they said simulations and the use of non-regular trap arrays may be beneficial. Lead author of the study and a researcher with WildCRU, Eric Ash, said that to avoid local extinctions similar to those in Laos & Cambodia “monitoring is critical for managers to evaluate populations over time and determine the efficacy of conservation actions. “It can also determine areas of conservation priority in which protection efforts can be focused”. Classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List, Thailand’s tigers are under increasing pressure from agricultural reclamation, illegal logging, and poaching for tiger parts. 
There is a big debate ongoing in the conservation circles in India regarding the tigers living outside protected reserve especially in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra which officially has about 160 tigers (unofficially it’s close to 220). While Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is home to about 100 tigers, the district has another 70 living outside the reserve, some even estimate this figure to be 100-120.
There is a growing clamour to relocate these tigers to other protected landscapes. Chandrapur every year sees about 25 deaths and hundreds of livestock killed because of these tigers. Most of them are attuned to living with humans and pose no threat, but the tolerance is running low partly exacerbated by red tapism of govt. and slow payment of compensation. There are some wildlife activists who are pro-translocation as they see it as a chance to populate other better landscapes and reduce the potential man-animal conflict in this one particular area. Activists opposed to this move say that translocating won’t matter as new tigers will take the place of old ones and it is observed that when translocated tigers don’t settle well in their new environment, they will cause new conflict elsewhere. Rather one should focus on improving corridors which have been fragmented. https://www.news18.com/news/india/translocation-of-tigers-to-minimise-human-animal-conflict-in-maharashtra-not-a-long-term-solution-2697915.html This is such a delicate issue. Ideally, I agree with activists against the move, but, I don’t live there, so that always takes away from my point. But, realistically, the govt. should relocate these tigers (which will require NTCA to change their policy as they don’t translocate tigers who are no threat to humans) living on the fringes, but they need the medium to long term plan of developing corridors so that the scenario of new tigers replacing the translocated ones doesn't come to pass. I am a tiny bit happy as well, not because this is a good problem to have, but, it’s a better problem than having to stave off extinction of tigers.
Map of the Kaziranga-Orang Riverine landscape (KORL) & North-bank landscape showing vegetation cover, protected areas, transect lines.
 *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Laokhowa-Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuary, a buffer of Kaziranga Tiger Reserve, has recorded recorded its first successful evidence of breeding of tigers for the 1st time in 15 years. From the official Twitter account of Kaziranga National Park where the news & photos were shared.  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
[Commentary] Landscape connectivity for better sustainability
by Dipak Anand, S. A. Hussain & Ruchi Badola  *This image is copyright of its original author
Landscape connectivity is characterised by the likelihood of having a connected habitat cluster spanning the countryside. Landscape integration is an intuitive and practical approach for combating habitat loss and the resulting decrease in biodiversity by sharing the responsibility of habitat degradation among all the concerned stakeholders. India has several success stories in the conservation of species when considering the protection at a landscape level, by connecting several protected areas. One such example is the conservation of the tiger population in the Terai-arc landscape where protected areas in this landscape, which once were considered one of the most fragmented and threatened ecosystems in Asia, were integrated. In the same manner, India succeeded in the conservation of one-horned rhinoceros in Assam. It increased the population of the species by more than 2500 by connecting seven of the state’s protected sites: Kaziranga, Pobitora, Orang national park, Manas national park, Laokhowa wildlife sanctuary (WLS), Burachapori wildlife sanctuary, and Dibru Saikhowa wildlife sanctuary. Better connectivity also recorded 190 tigers in Assam (2018 census). The state had just 70 tigers in 2006 and has thus achieved 250% growth. Replicating the success story A study was conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun in 2019 in Wildlife Sanctuaries of Rajmahal Hills in the landscape of Bihar and Jharkhand. We extended our approach to figure out the connectivity between adjoining protected areas in central India to get a real picture on the ground to propose connectivity and restoration plans for protected areas to conserve wildlife. In this study, we focused on Gautam Buddha Wildlife Sanctuary in Bihar, Koderma WLS, Hazaribagh WLS, Lawalong WLS, Palamau tiger reserve & Betla National park and Saranda forest in Jharkhand, Bandhavgarh tiger reserve and Sanjay tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh, Guru Ghasidas Tiger Reserve in Chattisgarh and Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha. Based on direct and indirect evidence from the field and secondary information collected from different sources, we looked for a link between these protected areas to sustain wild animals in the central Indian landscape. Based on our sample collection, we found that Gautam Buddha WLS and Koderma WLS have better connectivity between them for dispersal of animals in the present scenario. Both these protected areas have high faunal diversity. Occasionally, these protected areas also mark the elephant’s visit from the adjoining Hazaribagh WLS and Palamau tiger reserve through Lawalong WLS. The earlier tiger census reports also show tiger movement and assert that the population can be restored if some management intervention is taken. Forest view at the boundary of Gautam Buddha WLS and Koderma WLS. Photo by Saurav Chaudhary.  *This image is copyright of its original author Based on the research, the proposed connectivity between the protected areas is illustrated in the following subheads: 1) The link between Hazaribagh WLS and Saranda forest In Jharkhand, the elephants are mainly concentrated in two sanctuaries – the Palamu tiger reserve in the northwestern part of the state and the other in the rich natural forests of Saranda in the southernmost part of the state. The traditional routes of the elephants exist since times immemorial. A group of 125 elephants has been seen to disperse from the Saranda forest to the jungles of Hazaribagh WLS. There is a contiguous patch of forest between Saranda forest and Hazaribagh WLS that provides a corridor to the elephant population, and from Hazaribagh WLS, the herd further moves to Koderma WLS and Gautam Buddha WLS. [size=small]Proposed connectivity plan between protected area at a landscape level. Google Earth image courtesy researchers [/size]  *This image is copyright of its original author 2) The link between Saranda forest and Similipal Tiger Reserve Saranda in Jharkhand is a prime elephant habitat and forms the core of the Singhbhum elephant reserve. Although the mining pattern in the Saranda forest forced the elephant to move to Odisha which has now become a regular pattern. Elephant herds moves from Saranda to Similipal in Odisha by Badam Pahar–Dhobadhobin corridor and Badam Pahar–Karida corridor. Also, the major source population of tigers in Odisha is in Similipal. It has the potential to sustain the large population size due to its better habitat, and there might be a possibility that the tiger population would also migrate through the connecting corridor. 3) Connectivity between Palamu Tiger Reserve, Lawalong WLS, Koderma WLS, and Hazaribagh WLS Lawalong Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Deccan Plateau Province of Chotanagpur Plateau Biogeographic Zone, having an area of 211.03 square km. Movement of elephants from Palamu Tiger Reserve and Chatra WLS is observed through this sanctuary. The forests of the Lawalong also act as a corridor connecting Palamau Tiger Reserve and Hazaribag WLS for the elephants’ movement. Koderma WLS also provides a better habitat for Indian grey wolf, a schedule I species under the Wildlife Protection Act, and this species has its connectivity with Palamu. A corridor was observed between the Palamu Tiger Reserve and Koderma WLS for the movement of the species. 4) Connectivity between Palamau Tiger Reserves, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve, and Guru Ghasidas Tiger Reserve Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve is spread over an area of 1674.511 square km and is situated on the northeastern part of Madhya Pradesh, bordered by Guru Ghasidas National Park on the south. It is part of the Bandhavgarh-Sanjay-Guru Ghasidas-Palamau landscape. Sanjay TR and Guru Ghasi Das Tiger Reserve is a contiguous forest patch; this patch continues as Tamorpingla WLS. From Tamorpingla WLS, two forested arms project eastwards and serve as corridors to connect with Palamau TR. This habitat holds excellent potential for recovering tiger populations currently; they have a low density of tigers, but with management inputs and connection with Bandhavgarh source, they can be revived. Limitations to connectivity Connectivity between the protected areas of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh might be a possible link for animal sustainability in the central Indian landscape. Such a proposed plan will replicate India’s other success stories of conservation and result in an increase in population. However, there are some limitations to corridor connectivity between the protected areas, with linear development projects and anthropogenic pressures as the common ones. Many national highways pass through these protected areas, and several others are in the queue for permission. Such infrastructure has an essential contribution to habitat fragmentation. Recently, the Government of India via DFCCIL (Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India) has proposed a railway track, passing through Gautam Buddha WLS and another through Palamu tiger reserve. Such linear infrastructure would restrict the connectivity between Gautam Buddha WLS and Koderma WLS. Increased iron mining intensity in the Saranda forest poses a threat to the remaining elephant corridor that connects the Saranda and Similipal Tiger reserve. Likewise, Limestone mining around the Hazaribagh WLS would restrict the animal movement from the Saranda forest and Lawalong WLS. Hazaribagh and Lawalong WLS have a high intensity of human habitation at their periphery, and day by day, it is expending that might pose a problem for better connectivity. Palamu Tiger reserve forms a crucial linkage via a forest of Chattisgarh up to Sanjay National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Forest patches of these three states spread in an area of 12, 580 km² and can harbor a good tiger population. But the major problem in managing this tiger population is insurgency. If this problem is restored this area could serve as a good source of tiger population. Web of linear infrastructure intersecting the protected areas. Google Earth image courtesy researchers.  *This image is copyright of its original author Way forward The present study provides a basis for landscape-level connectivity of corridors between different protected areas. This creates hope for the effective delimitation of boundaries to the wild animals’ long-term survival. When such a suggested pattern gets a legal description, a boon for wild animals living on this landscape will be ascertained. Recently. the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change issued a proposal to notify an Ecological Sensitive Zone (ESZ) of 5 km diameter around protected areas Gautam Buddha Wildlife Sanctuary, Palamu Tiger Reserve, Lawalong WLS, and Hazaribagh WLS. The ESZ will somehow reduce the anthropogenic pressure on the protected area defined for the connectivity. The proposed blueprint further needs the opinion of environmentalists, policymakers, and all the related stakeholders. When consensus on the current plan is reached, a comprehensive management plan could be drawn up to move together in the right direction for the well-being of wild creatures. Dipak Anand is a researcher and S. A. Hussain and Ruchi Badola are senior scientists at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. 
Guidelines for conserving connectivity through ecological networks and corridors
Abstract: Connectivity conservation is essential for managing healthy ecosystems, conserving biodiversity and adapting to climate change across all biomes and spatial scales. Well-connected ecosystems support a diversity of ecological functions such as migration, hydrology, nutrient cycling, pollination, seed dispersal, food security, climate resilience and disease resistance. These Guidelines are based on the best available science and practice for maintaining, enhancing and restoring ecological connectivity among and between protected areas, other effective areas based conservation measures (OECMs) and other intact ecosystems. For the first time, this publication introduces a common definition and recommends formal recognition of ecological corridors to serve as critical building blocks of ecological networks in conjunction with protected areas and OECMs. Furthermore, these Guidelines also include 25 case studies that demonstrate current approaches to conserving ecological connectivity and ecological networks for different ecosystems and species, and at different spatial and temporal scales. |
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