Kerala outshines other tiger States

K S Sudhi, Kochi
The Hindu, July 30, 2019

The tiger population is growing in Kerala with 190 big cats roaming its forests and the State scoring maximum points in mean Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE), according to the Status of Tigers in India-2018 report.
Kerala scored the highest mean MEE score of 90.23 among the 18 tiger States of the country.
The latest Kerala tiger figures mark an increase of 54 individuals against the 136 of 2014, according to the report.
When it comes to the MEE of individual reserves, the Periyar Tiger Reserve scored 93.75% and Parambikulam, the second reserve in the State, 86.72% and was rated as very good in terms of management effectiveness.
The tiger population of the State was estimated to be 46 individuals in 2006, which increased to 71 when its population was estimated four years later in 2010.
Though not a tiger reserve, Wayanad houses the maximum number of tigers in the State with an estimated population ranging between 75 and 80 individuals. During an internal survey conducted in 2017, Forest Department officials could capture exclusive images of 74 individuals.
Since its stripes are unique to individuals like the fingerprints of humans, the photographic identification of the animals based on its stripes can be considered as an accurate counting method. However, one also needs to be aware of the foraying character of the animals and the possibility of overlapping of tiger population in the adjacent tiger habitats, cautioned an official.
Incidentally, the Wayanad tiger area shares its boundaries with the Nagarhole and Bandipur tiger reserves.
Though the 2018 tiger report does not speak about the population of tigers in the individual tiger reserves, the forest areas that come under the Periyar Tiger Reserve are considered to be the home of around 30 to 35 individuals. The dossier of the PTR has digital images of 30 individual tigers captured during the internal assessment done in 2017, said an official.
The PTR shares its boundary with the Meghamali and Srivilliputhur forests of Tamil Nadu.
The population estimation of the large felines in the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve has put the presence of the animals between 20 and 25. The reserve authorities have succeeded in camera-trapping 23 individuals during the internal assessment. Parambikulam shares its borders with the Anamalai Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu.

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Silent Valley’s core areas took the brunt of 2018 floods

Abdul Latheef Naha, Palakkad
The Hindu, July 15 2019

The rain and floods that devastated the State in August 2018 have struck an unimaginable blow to core areas of the Silent Valley National Park. Much of the damage inflicted by nature’s wrath still remains unassesed and unstudied.
Little did the outside world know about the 50-odd landslips that ravaged the core areas of the Silent Valley. About a dozen of the landslips were so huge that had they been in human inhabited areas, they would have taken quite a number of lives along their trail.
Authorities did not publicise the extensive damage caused to the Silent Valley as there had been many theories doing the rounds about the cause of the floods. When some argued that it was a man-made disaster, others said it was a result of unprecedented copious rain.
The iron bridge across the Kunthi river in the Silent Valley had been destroyed. So were many trek paths deep inside the valley. The roads inside the virgin valley developed cracks like never before. The real extent of destruction caused to plants and wildlife is yet to be studied.

Scientific advice sought

Samuel V. Pachuau, Wildlife Warden of the Silent Valley, said that they were closely monitoring the valley and had sought scientific advice about methods of addressing the damage. He said soil had been washed off and rocks exposed at several places.
“We have been advised by experts to wait and watch through this monsoon,” said Mr. Pachuau.
He indicated that there had been no visible impact on the habitat and population of the wildlife. But he said constant monitoring was needed. “Maybe we will start restoration work from next year,” said Mr. Pachuau.
The reports of unprecedented dryness in April-May this year apart, there have been widespread concerns about the flood’s potential impact on fauna.

Impact on fauna

V. Balachandran, Indian Dragonfly Society secretary who led a study on dragonflies soon after the floods in September last year, said that they could not step into the core area because of the devastation.
He said he had to be content with the buffer zone of the Silent Valley for the dragonfly survey. Although Mr. Balachandran could not come up with any comparable data from the Silent Valley, he found that the number of dragonflies and damselflies had gone alarmingly low.
The Forest and Wildlife Department had closed public entry to the Silent Valley in the wake of the devastation.
Repairs were done to the 23-km stretch from Mukkali to Watchtower and the valley was reopened for the public in February this year.

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