Status of tigers in Valmiki Tiger Reserve

Reliable estimates of status and population trends are critical for the conservation of large terrestrial carnivores as they play an important role in evaluating effectiveness of conservation efforts and also provide benchmark data for future management deci- sions. The only tiger reserve in the state of Bihar, the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) is located in the extreme northeastern corner along the international border with Nepal.

It represents one of the last patches of forests having a unique combination of the terai-bhabar vegetation, which harbour rich fauna of several endemic and globally endangered species such as tiger, Greater one-horned rhinoceros, Gaur, and Fishing cat. It
is contiguous with Chitwan National Park in Nepal and intermediately connected with Sohagi Barwa Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh, India.

This study presents the findings of the first attempt to estimate the tiger population by covering the whole Valmiki Tiger Reserve using photographic capture-recapture method. As part of Phase-IV monitoring protocol to obtain minimum tiger numbers operating in this least known tiger reserve, WWF-India conducted the camera trapping exercise in collaboration with the Field Director of VTR and the Environment & Forest Department, Government of Bihar.