The North-east is one of the two biodiversity hotspots in the country, the other being the Western Ghat region, and therefore, it is essential to ensure ecological security in the region while planning for its economic development, said Dr Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, secretary-general of Aaranyak on Saturday.
JORHAT, April 17: Authorities of the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) and officials of the State Forest Department are upbeat about the high population density of Royal Bengal tigers as revealed by the census conducted jointly by Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun and Statebased NGO Aaranyak recently.
A non-government society for bio-diversity conservation, Aaranyak, has found that the sprawling Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in Assam has 32 highly-endangered tigers per 100 sq km area within the park and the figure is much more as compared to 20 in the Corbett National Park. Tiger density in other reserves in the country is found in the range of eight to 12.
Jairam Ramesh Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh today said preliminary reports from the second nationwide tiger census, currently underway, were very encouraging and that Kaziranga in Assam could show an increase in tiger density.
Kaziranga: Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh on Monday said Kaziranga has brought fresh hopes on tiger conservation in the country with the National Park registering a density of about 30 tigers over 100 sq. km. of the park, which he described to be the highest in the country.
Even after Road Transport and Highways Minister Kamal Nath complained to the Prime Minister over the progress of highways being stalled by the Environment Ministry, Jairam Ramesh seems in no mood to relent.
