International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Density Estimation of Tiger (Panthera tigris) in the Buffer Zone of Corbett Tiger Reserve
Abstract
Information about how many animals is in an area is essential for designing management strategies for endangered species such as tiger. Due to the tigers’ elusive behaviour, high mobility and occurrence at low densities, it is difficult to determine an unbiased estimate of tiger abundance. To overcome the problem, biologists proposed camera trapping as an effective method to determine the abundance of the tiger. We used camera trapping to determine the abundance and density of the tiger in the buffer zone of the Corbett Tiger Reserve. An effort of 240 trap nights results in the identification of 20 individual adult tigers. Tiger density was estimated at 13.69±3.3 tigers per 100 km2. Our estimation of tiger density highlighted the role of the buffer zone in landscape-level conservation of tigers and indicated that buffer zones can support the high density of tigers if appropriately managed. Anthropogenic activities exert enormous pressure on the buffer zone and it is imperative to have holistic management strategies for the long-term conservation of tigers in the human-dominated landscape of Corbett Tiger Reserve.
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References
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