Tigers Thiving In NAGARJUNASAGAR-SRISAILAM Tiger Reserve

[Saktipada Panigrahi]

Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve( Year of Creation:1982-83) is the Largest Tiger Reserve in India.The total Area is 3568 sq.km.After it was declared as Tiger Reserve, Authorities faced an uphill task,as the forest had 24 villages in the Core Area,further 96 Human Habitation inside Sanctuary and 80 Villages around the Forest and huge Population of Cattle.

River Krishna flows through the Reserve and two mutipurpose reserviors,Srisilam and Nagarjunasagar are important sources of Irrigation and Power are located inside.Major Species of Wild Life includes Tiger,Leopard,Sloth Bear,Spotted Deer,Sambar, Wild Dog,Black Buck,Chinkara,Chowsinga,Muggar etc.However, Daylight Sighting of Wild Life has not been good.

As per last published data made available by PROJECT TIGER , in 1997 the Tiger population was estimated at 39 (leopard 67)only.

In the Tiger Census Report,2008, the number of Tigers was shown as 20 only.

GOOD NEWS:

Today Morning I observed in the 'NEWS' column of NTCA stating that TIGERS ARE THRIVING IN NAGARJUNASAGAR-SRISAILAM TIGER RESERVE and their Number is estimated at 90 (70 Adults,20 Cubs). Its a very Healthy Ratio.Spill over to adjoining Gundla-Brahmeswara WLS has also been reported.

Members who have visited this Reserve may kindly share their Experience.
SaktiWild

N.B:Kindly read 'THRIVING' in place of 'thiving' in the Headline.Moderators may kindly rectify it.

[Prashanth Gokul Dwarapu]

Mr Panigrahi, you can refer to the following thread which I posted to share my experience in NSTR in April this year.

NSTR is alive and kicking - Indiawilds: Land of the Tiger. Conservation, Wildlife Photography, Communities (http://www.indiawilds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7169)

[Saktipada Panigrahi]

Bhai Prashanath,
I went through your Field Experience once again.Nice one.To me, the Forest is a storehouse of beautiful uncertainties.Beautiful till you respect the Law of the Jungle.Thanks for sharing and reminding me too.SaktiWild

[Soumya Banerjee]

I dont know-call me a sceptic,but WII's recent tiger estimation showed a drop in tiger occupancy in that landscape. Prey base is abysmally low(<10/km2 with only 1.7 chital/km2!!!!) and consequently,tiger density is also very low,at 1.5/100 km2. Because of the large size of this landscape,it still has a healthy population,but its far from the success story it is made out to be. Havent been there,so all this is entirely my personal opinion.

[Prashanth Gokul Dwarapu]

Soumya, I do not think NSTR is called a success story it can be described as a 'comeback' story- an abysmally low number of 30 tigers only a few years ago to a number of about 90 today. The park was under tremendous pressure due to presence of extremists which resulted in very little protection and due to other factors like over grazing by cattle of surrounding villages, both herbivores and predators suffered.
Because of this, large areas in the buffer areas remained unoccupied

Now that things are taken care of to a large extent, wildlife is making a comeback. I think the conservation efforts are moving in the right direction in NSTR and it will be only a matter of time before the numbers improve.