Bhubaneswar: Wildlife Institute of India (WII) will conduct a study in Similipal and Satkosia tiger reserves to find out the number of prey animals available per sq km in the habitats for predators.
While Satkosia is on the path to revival and will be conducting a prey count by WII scientists for the first time since the failure of the inter-state tiger translocation project, Similipal, which has the highest number of big cats in Odisha, will enumerate its prey for a better understanding of the landscape. “We have written to the WII to conduct the study. It is a long process. To get an accurate prey base scenario in both the premier tiger habitats, it may take more than three months,” said chief wildlife warden Prem Kumar Jha.
Some biologists may also be engaged to supplement the WII scientists with the inputs they gather. “The biologists will provide training on prey count to the wildlife personnel of the reserves for the next three months. The personnel will lay transect lines at the beat level, and the data generated from that will be collected,” said a wildlife officer.
He added that assessing the prey density is significant to ensure a robust habitat for the carnivore population. Wildlife officials said a software called ‘Distance’ is used to collate the prey density data.
Teams are formed, each comprising three members, to walk through the transect line and record prey data by direct sighting. From data obtained from direct sighting, the software is used to get the final number.
A prey density study conducted by Similipal authorities revealed it rose from 5.99 per sq km in 2014 to around 31 per sq km in 2022. A robust presence of prey animals or herbivores in a habitat is extremely important to ensure the survival of the predators — tigers and leopards. Around 30 prey animals per sq km is considered a sound density with 30 big cats in a habitat.
Most importantly, the reserve, which didn’t have a cheetal population, now has around 10 of them per sq km. The population of barking deer and sambar is 7 and 9 per sq km, respectively, in the vast 2,750 sq km area of Similipal.
Satkosia authorities also claimed prey density has improved from 23 animals per sq km in 2017-18 to 39 per sq km now, which is considered better for tiger introduction. “A scientific study by WII scientists will give us more insights and accurate data,” said divisional forest officer (Satkosia), Saroj Panda.