Study confirms Konkan a habitat for tigers in Western Ghats; 12 big cats recorded

The study recorded the presence of 12 tigers, including two cubs, in the corridor mainly covering Sindhudurg and Satara

A study conducted jointly by the forest department, Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR) and Wildlife Conservation Trust using camera traps has confirmed that the Konkan region is not only a corridor but also a habitat for tigers in the western ghats. The study – submitted to the state forest department in May 2024, the details of which Hindustan Times accessed on Friday – also recorded the presence of 12 tigers, including two cubs, in the corridor mainly covering Sindhudurg and Satara.

The STR – which is the northernmost tiger reserve in the western ghats – is located in the south-eastern part of Maharashtra, and spans the Ratnagiri, Satara and Kolhapur districts. (SOURCED)

The STR – which is the northernmost tiger reserve in the western ghats – is located in the south-eastern part of Maharashtra, and spans the Ratnagiri, Satara and Kolhapur districts. Established in 2008, the STR includes the Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary and Chandoli National Park, extending across the Koyna River and Vasant Sagar Reservoir. According to the 2022 National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) Report, the STR covers a total area of 1,165.57 square kilometre, with a core area of 600.12 square kilometre and a buffer area of 565.45 square kilometre. In the 2022 NTCA Report, no tigers were captured by the camera traps over 17,400 trap nights and the reserve was noted to lack a stable tiger population. However, signs of tiger presence were recorded in the STR and its surrounding forests with camera traps in the Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary capturing tiger images the same year. Thereafter, the forest department and STR partnered with the Wildlife Conservation Trust through a memorandum of understanding (MoU), initiating a two-year scientific camera trap project. The study was conducted over six months from December 2022 to May 2023, and the report was submitted a year later in May 2024.

Girish Punjabi, a wildlife researcher with the Wildlife Conservation Trust, said, “For this study, camera traps were installed at 104 locations across the tiger reserve and corridor areas. Each location had at least two camera traps. This was the first time the entire corridor area was covered. During the study, eight adult tigers and two cubs were recorded. Currently, two tigers have also been spotted inside the Sahyadri reserve, apart from those recorded during the study.”

“Based on the field study, a report was prepared and submitted to the forest authorities earlier this year,” Punjabi said.

“There have been longstanding indications of tiger presence in Maharashtra’s western ghats, particularly in the Konkan region. Local communities are aware of their presence, but no scientific evidence existed until now. This camera trap and field study has provided concrete evidence of tiger presence and breeding activity in the tiger corridor. It also shows that tigers are adopting this region as their habitat,” Punjabi noted.

A senior forest official on condition of anonymity said that the report – containing sensitive data on tiger locations – has not been made public to protect the tiger population in the STR.

Unlike other tiger reserves in Maharashtra that are part of the central Indian landscape, the STR is located in the northern western ghats. Significantly, it connects southwards to the Anshi-Dandeli Tiger Reserve in Karnataka through the Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary and other forest patches which act as stepping stones for tigers. Conservation of the corridor connecting the STR to the rest of the western ghats is crucial for ensuring the survival of the region’s tiger population.