Nagpur: Identified as ‘gateway’ to Central India Tigers, the Vidarbha jungles at present possess more than 198 tigers in their fold, reveals the fourth round of tiger-census, adding that the entire Maharashtra has more than 200 tigers. During past one-and-a-half years, more than 22 tigers have increased.
Indian has been held as a nation possessing maximum population of tigers in the world. It is also held that ‘more the number of tigers, more the forests.’ According to the census last year, there were 2,226 tigers recorded in 47 tiger-projects from 17 states across the country. It may be mentioned that Nagpur is going to be recognized as ‘World Tiger Capital’ just because of much increased population of tigers in Nagpur region.
Maximum tigers, more than 107 in number, are recorded in Chandrapur district, as per fourth census carried out under latest methodology which included taking pictures of tigers through cameras. The same methodology was used across Maharashtra.
Nagpur happens to be the geographically central part of India, and area-wise it is the only region in the world having maximum population of tigers. As a result, the efforts are underway too get Nagpur recognized as World Tiger Capital.
Two years ago, the forest department had nabbed a gang of 48 poachers of tigers. They confessed that they had poached 25 tigers across Vidarbha. As a perfect ‘siege’ was laid by forest department against the poachers, the number of tigers increased during census to the extent of 22.
Rajeev Ranjan Kushwaha (rajeev.nagpurtoday@gmail.com)
