As per the count carried out two months ago, a total 44 tigers are found in the national park forests. According to the conservationists, 24 male tigers and 17 female tigers were recorded in the park while the gender of three additional tigers was not ascertained.
The result of the fresh tiger count was made public on the last day of wildlife week on Friday. The Shuklaphanta National Park started the monitoring and counting of tigers in the park from February 17 to March 5. The tigers were tracked and counted using the camera trapping method. According to the national census conducted in 2022, the number of adult tigers at Shuklaphanta National Park reached 36.
The monitoring and counting of tigers were conducted by dividing Shuklaphanta National Park, which is spread over an area of 305 square kilometres, into 92 grids. A couple of camera traps were installed in each grid for 15 days.
Similarly, the number of one-horned rhinos has also increased in Shuklaphanta. The number of rhinos increased to 23 in the park area now from 20 recorded last year. According to the national park administration, there are six male and 10 female rhinos while the gender status of seven rhinos has not been ascertained.
The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation had conducted a study about possible rhino habitat when a rhino was spotted in the Ranital area of Shuklaphanta in 1995. Four rhinos had been translocated from Chitwan in 2000. In 2017, five more rhinos were shifted to Shuklaphanta from Chitwan.
A male tiger of around five years which was recently separated from its mother and started roaming around the forest has been named Yuvaraj, or prince. The one which seems strong and ferocious has been named Maharaja, the king.
Officials said that during patrolling, personnel found the carcass at Bannari beat in Thurugamalai area and alerted the higher officials. On Wednesday, a team led by Assistant Wildlife Veterinary Surgeon at STR, carried out an autopsy on the carcass. Later, the carcass was cremated at the spot.
Officials said that the post-mortem report revealed there were no external injuries and teeth and nails were intact. Preliminary investigation shows the tiger could have died due to internal haemorrhage. Samples were lifted and sent for laboratory analysis.
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