Telangana: Amrabad Tiger Reserve now home to 33 big cats

The Amrabad Tiger Reserve now has 33 individual tigers including 11 males, 15 females and seven cubs.

Hyderabad: The Amrabad Tiger Reserve (ATR) is now home to 33 individual tigers, which is the highest among tiger reserves in the State. The icing on the cake is that unlike other reserves, ATR is now home to a considerable number of breeding tigers, which is expected to trigger a population spurt in the reserve in the next few years.

The ATR now has 33 individual tigers including 11 males, 15 females and seven cubs. During the mandatory annual Phase IV monitoring, Forest officials recorded the sightings and 22 tigers matched with the existing database, while four tigers were recorded for the first time in this current year. In 2020, the tiger population in ATR was 14. This increased to 21 in 2022 and has now reached 33. As per the All-India Tiger Estimation Report – 2022, the tiger population in the ATR had gradually increased to 21 tigers which included seven males, six females besides eight cubs. The next census was likely to be conducted in 2026.

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One tigress usually gives birth to four cubs a year. With a considerable number of breeding tigers in ATR, one should not be surprised if the population increased substantially in the next few years, a senior Forest official said.

The current population in the reserve was predominantly sub adults and in the cub stage. In the next few years, they would breed and this augurs well for the reserve, the official added.

Over 170 trackers worked hard from December 12, 2023 to May 2, 2024 as part of the monitoring exercise. About 900 grids covering two square kilometres were identified in the reserve limits and each grid was assigned a unique identification number by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). A total of 1806 camera traps were used extensively for the exercise and each forest block in the reserve was monitored for 30 days.

In tune with the exercise, the population density estimation of prey base was also conducted in the reserve from January 17 to 19 for Achampet and Nagarjuna Sagar divisions and from May 21 to 23 for Amrabad division.

The prey base population plays a crucial role in increasing tiger population. After the exercise, officials said the prey base, including sambar, spotted deer, nilgai, wild pig, four-horned antilope and others was in abundance in the reserve, another positive sign for ATR.