Kaziranga in Assam records third-highest tiger density in India after Bandipur, Corbett

Kaziranga Tiger Reserve: Tiger Density Report 2024

Context:

• Released by: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Global Tiger Day (July 29, 2024).

• Significance: Kaziranga has recorded the third-highest tiger density in India, after Bandipur (Karnataka) and Corbett (Uttarakhand).

• Kaziranga now ranks third globally with a density of 18.65 tigers per 100 sq km, trailing only Bandipur Tiger Reserve and Corbett National Park

Key Statistics:

• Total Tiger Population in KTR (2024): 148 tigers

  • Area Covered: 1,307.49 sq. km

  • Tiger Density: 18.65 tigers/100 sq. km

• Comparative Densities:

  • Bandipur (Karnataka): 19.83/100 sq. km (area: 1,456 sq. km)

  • Corbett (Uttarakhand): 19.56/100 sq. km (area: 1,288 sq. km)

Division-wise Tiger Count in Kaziranga:

• Core (Eastern Assam Wildlife Division): 115 tigers (up from 104 in 2022)

• Nagaon Wildlife Division: 6 tigers (no change)

• Biswanath Wildlife Division: 27 tigers (first-ever sampling in 2024)

Methodology:

• Survey Period: December 2023 – April 2024

• Technique:

  • Camera traps following protocols of:

    • National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

    • Wildlife Institute of India (WII)

  • Spatially Explicit Capture-Recapture (SECR) method used

    • Offers greater precision and ecological relevance in population estimates.

Conservation Significance:

• KTR is traditionally famous for the one-horned rhinoceros.

• Assam is playing a dual role in:

  • Tiger protection

  • Habitat restoration

• Political and security support: Bold steps against encroachment and infiltration helped habitat protection.