IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
| Barlow, A.C.D.; Chakma, S.; Hossain, A.N.M.; Rahman, M.; Howlader, A.; Greenwood, C.J.; Islam, M.A.; Ahmed, I.U.; Smith, J.L.D. | |
| Bangladesh Sundarbans relative tiger abundance survey - Technical Report | |
| 2009 Full Book | |
In the Bangladesh Sundarbans, a tiger monitoring programme has been developed to evaluate the effectiveness of tiger conservation strategies and to identify forest areas in need of additional protection measures. Changes in the tiger population are recorded every two years by surveying the number of tiger track sets along the banks of creeks (_khals_). The survey does not record changes in the number of individual tigers, but instead track changes in the relative abundance of tigers. Any recorded change in relative tiger abundance will be the result of a combination of factors including natural fluctuations in the tiger population, changes in human impact, and management activities between the survey periods. The first survey was conducted in 2007. This report documents the findings from the second (2009) survey and compares them to the 2007 results, to determine if there had been any change in the tiger population. This study also investigated if there was a relationship between relative tiger abundance and human impact levels. The survey was conducted over two months by three teams of two observers. Relative tiger abundance was recorded for 65 sample units covering all four management ranges of the Bangladesh Sundarbans. A total of 1652 tiger track sets were recorded from 1207 km of surveyed _khals_. The overall mean tiger track frequency was higher in 2009 than in 2007, which means there may have been an increase in the Sundarbans tiger population. All ranges experienced an increase in tiger track frequency, and Satkhira range was found to have noticeably higher tiger track set frequency compared to the other three ranges. High, medium, and low human impact levels were recorded for 21, 36, and 8 sample units respectively. Low relative tiger abundance was found to be strongly associated with high human impact. Evidence of tiger reproduction was recorded for seven sample units in 2009, and in all four ranges. The results indicate that there was an increase in relative tiger abundance between 2007 and 2009 and no noticeable detrimental effect from the 2007 cyclone Sidr. However, there are a number of research and management opportunities available to help increase the Sundarbans tiger population. Research recommendations are to (1) assess the relative levels and types of human impact across the Sundarbans, (2) determine the relationship between tiger track set frequency and tiger numbers, and (3) create a second monitoring system for tracking changes in the tiger population. Management recommendations are for the Forest Department to (1) use the results of the tiger monitoring programme to help guide protection strategy, (2) institutionalize the tiger monitoring programme into operations, and, as a precautionary measure (3) increase patrolling and law enforcement in the SRF. |
|
 |
PDF files are only accessible to Friends of the Cat Group. Joining Friends of the Cat Group gives you unlimited access and downloads in the Cat SG Library for one year, and allows you to receive our newsletter Cat News (2 regular issues per year plus special issues). More information how to join here |
(c) IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group ( IUCN - The World Conservation Union) |