. The situation of tigers has become critical worldwide and it’s time to review current management practices. The crisis is worsening due to fragmentation and poaching of large carnivores, as well as loss of prey. Habitats for Bhutan’s Bengal Tigers range from tropical forests to alpine forests. Pixabay *. Experts warn it will not be long before the tiger disappears at the rate that they are currently declining. However, a recent study on tigers in Bhutan’s mountainous terrain suggests that it isn’t over. Researchers evaluated the effects of humans and environmental changes on the tigers living in Bhutan’s Himalayan kingdom. It is located between India and China. The findings are described in the Oct 2019 edition of the journal Biological Conservation. Engagement to Tiger Conservation. As a signatory to the 2010 St. Petersburg Declaration about Tiger Conservation, Bhutan committed to doing everything it could to increase its tiger population by 2022, the following Year of the Tiger. Bhutan is the only nation in the world to have enshrined protection of forest land in its constitution. It states that at least 60% percent of Bhutan’s total land must be kept under forest cover. To support global tiger conservation and preserve important biological resources, Bhutan has designated more than 50% of its land to a conservation network. According to the World Wildlife Fund, the network includes “ten protected areas and one botanic reserve, as well as seven biological corridors connecting them.” There are less than four ,000 wild tigers worldwide. The endangered species of tiger has only 4 ,000 people living wild. The largest Asian big cat, the tiger, can live up to 20years in the wild. Tigers hunt on their own and often stalk their prey. One tiger may consume 88 tons of meat in one sitting. The male tigers weigh more than the females. They can eat up to 660 lbs and have a length of up to 10 ft. Tigers usually live in pairs, except when the females have their offspring. One tiger usually occupies a lot of territory, depending on the amount of prey available. They are under increasing threat from poaching and habitat loss in all areas where they live wild. Bhutan is just one of fewer than a dozen countries where tigers are found in their natural habitat. Habitats for the tigers include temperate forests and grassland as well as dry and wet deciduous forest and mangrove forests. Survey of Bengal Tigers in Bhutan. The country’s tropical southern forests are home to the Bengal tigers, while the alpine, northern forests of Bhutan house the colder tigers. These range from 100 meter to 4 ,200 m above sea level. This is the most high-altitude habitat for tigers in the world. Road construction and expansion of mining are the main threats to Bhutan’s tigers conservation. The recent study was based on a national camera trap survey, which took place in Bhutan over 2014-2015.. The researchers were able, using the images captured, to assess the effects of man-made and environmental changes on the tiger habitats in the country. Researchers found that tiger habitat usage and large prey availability were positively affected by being close to protected areas. It is also beneficial to be far from humans. These findings suggest that protected areas well managed can aid in species recovery as well as the preservation of biodiversity. Protecting natural habitats as well as prey species is a better way to ensure that tigers are conserved. This protection requires strict antipoaching enforcement and minimal land conversion. To ensure sustainable land management, this protection is essential. The authors conclude that “Bhutan” is a significant component of the larger South Asian conservation system. It has an unusually strong environment legislation, a large percentage of its land protected, and contiguous forests cover.
