This story is from August 15, 2019

Poaching behind poor tiger count in Dampa reserve: Report

Pressure of poaching is being seen as a potent threat for the survival of tigers at the Dampa Tiger Reserve (DTR), which recorded a zero big cat count in last month's 'The Status of Tigers in India-2018' report.
Poaching behind poor tiger count in Dampa reserve: Report
The Status of Tigers in India-2018 did not find any record of big cats in Mizoram
GUWAHATI: Pressure of poaching is being seen as a potent threat for the survival of tigers at the Dampa Tiger Reserve (DTR), which recorded a zero big cat count in last month's 'The Status of Tigers in India-2018' report.
The consolidated site evaluation report of tiger reserves across the country-also released last month-by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), which was supported by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), stressed on how hunting and poaching were contributing to the disappearance of tigers.
"Hunting and poaching of tigers, co-predators and prey animals are the most significant threats. Poaching pressure remained high even after the area (DTR) was notified as a sanctuary," the WII report said.
The Status of Tigers in India-2018 did not find any record of big cats in Mizoram, whereas the state had three tigers in 2014. Earlier records show that the count had come down gradually-so while in 2006 there were six tigers, in 2010 the count was reduced to five.
The 500-sq km park at the tri-junction of Bangladesh, Mizoram and Tripura, was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1985 and a tiger reserve in 1994. Besides Royal Bengal Tigers, Dampa is home to five species of felids (mammals of cat family) including common leopards, clouded leopard, marbled cat, Asiatic golden cat and leopard cat.
Talking about the challenges faced by the park, the WII report mentioned that hunting of animals has been controlled to a large extent because of increasing awareness and surrender of many hunters in the past. The report also highlighted security challenges faced by the forest staff of Dampa in the past. "Forest officials were abducted from the Chikha anti-poaching camp (in 2013) and were released after one-and-a-half months. It is a big threat to the management," the report said. In 2012, labourers, who were working on fencing along the Bangladesh border, were abducted. They were later released.

Lack of maintenance of the boundary and encroachment have also contributed to the challenges of DTR.
There are around 15 villages in the buffer area, which practise jhum (shifting) cultivation extensively. "The communities in Phuldungsei, Lallen and Kawnmawi villages have removed the pillars from the forest boundary wall of the core area," the report said, adding that the buffer areas have been exhausted for cultivation and now villagers are eyeing the core area.
In terms of maintenance of vegetation too, the forest is facing a threat from an overgrowth of weeds. Invasive species of plants like Eupatorium, Mikenia and Ageratum, are spreading out fast damaging the tropical vegetation. Water channels, key for the survival of wildlife, are being poisoned for fishing in the buffer areas, adding to the woes of the management.
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