Study identifies key areas for tiger movement in central India
A photo of a deceased tigress that was very popular in central India, titled “collar valley“Near Pench Tiger Reserve. Photo: Amrita Neelakantan
Tigers in central India travel long distances from one reserve to another. Maintaining safe areas where big cats can pass – known as wildlife corridors – is critical for tigers to thrive and avoid inbreeding. However, different studies and institutions have provided conflicting information on which areas are most important to tiger movement.
in a Paper In their paper published in March, researchers from five previous studies that mapped tiger corridors in central India came together to combine their results. The collaboration identified areas of overlap, and all five studies identified habitat connectivity as key to tiger activity in central India. The study authors call these regions “consensus connectivity regions.” They say they hope having a single map based on scientific consensus will help inform local infrastructure projects and measures to protect and maintain these areas.
Jay Schoen, a doctoral student in Columbia University’s Department of Ecology and Evolution, said: “We hope this result will provide a clear indication of where the current scientific consensus is and can support existing efforts to protect tigers and other species that share habitats in central India.” The biology program leading the study’s connectivity data analysis.
(a) Simulation of the path that tigers most commonly use to move between protected areas, shown in green. Brighter lines indicate more simulated motion in the five studies analyzed. (b) The blue area represents the ‘consensus connection area’ considered important for tiger movement by all five studies. Green areas are protected areas. Image credit: Schoen et al./Conservation Biology 2022
The five studies analyzed reached the greatest consensus on areas where tigers are hindered (mainly urban areas) and areas where tigers can move freely with minimal barriers (mainly forests). In agricultural areas, the existence of tiger corridors is less certain.
The researchers found that land ownership in the consensus-connected area is complex, with overlapping or contested ownership between villages and multiple departments within the Indian Forestry Ministry. Specifically, about 70% of the area is located within the village-level administrative boundary, 100% overlaps with the management boundary of the forestry department, and more than 16% of the consensus area is located within 1 km of infrastructure such as roads, railways, canals, mines, and power transmission, which can restrain tigers. Motion lines. These factors complicate the management and protection of lands where tigers operate.
“Successful management of connected areas requires a consensus among stakeholders on the appropriate balance between potentially competing goals for the safe passage of dispersed wildlife, livelihood needs of local communities and infrastructure development,” from Central India Protection Networkwho led the study’s analysis of managerial impact.
By clearly defining target protected areas and identifying the populations and businesses most likely to be affected by land-use decisions in those areas, the study could make it easier for communities to build on existing efforts to collaborate to protect the country’s tiger populations, say the authors.
They point out that the method could also be applied to other parts of the world to support applied conservation efforts and ultimately promote coexistence between humans and nature.
Co-authors and collaborators on the study include: Ruth de Vries, Columbia; Samuel A. Cushman, U.S. Forest Service; Trishna Dutta, University of Göttingen; Bilal Habib, Yadvendradev V. Jhala, Indian Wildlife Research Institute , Indranil Mondal, Swati Saini and Bibek Yumnam; Uma Ramakrishnan, Tata Institute for Fundamental Research, India; P. Anuradha Reddy, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research and Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg Sandeep Sharma of WWF India; and Prachi Thatte of WWF India.
