What do Carnivores Eat?

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As umbrella species, the tiger and its co-predators, the leopard and dhole play a fundamental role in shaping prey communities in the forest. Understanding the food habits and dietary seperation of these three large carnivores is vital for conservation of prey species and overall ecosystem functioning.

Authors Anish P. Andheria, K. Ullas Karanth and N. Samba Kumar conducted a study of diets of three sympatric large carnivores, the tiger (Panthera tigris), the leopard (Panthera pardus) and … Read More

Tiger – Gaur Face-off, Bandhavgarh

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I was on a evening drive in the Magdhi zone of Bandhavgarh national park when I came across this big male tiger. He was walking along the fence that was erected to contain gaur when they were reintroduced to Bandhavgarh from Kanha. Suddenly the tiger froze. I couldn’t figure out why. He had certainly detected something,  but I couldn’t see it. After about ten minutes he walked back on the road and suddenly I saw him face to face with … Read More

Heads I Win, Tails you Lose – China’s Tiger Trade

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The focus of this article is the state of our feline friends – the tigers in the heart of East Asia – China. China’s intent in abiding by the laws that prohibit the commercial trade of these endangered species is highly suspect. Contrary to its initial ban on tiger bone trade for medicinal uses in 1993, China is actually encouraging the captive-breeding of tigers as a constant source for the fast expanding and ironically legalized domestic trade in tiger skins. … Read More

New Genetics Research on Leopards and Tigers in India Underscores Importance of Protecting Forest Corridors

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As rapid economic expansion continues to shape the Asian landscape on which many species depend, time is running out for conservationists aiming to save wildlife such as tigers and leopards. Scientists at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute have used genetic analysis to find that the natural forest corridors in India are essential to ensuring a future for these species. According to two studies recently published in two papers, these corridors are successfully connecting populations of tigers and leopards to ensure … Read More

Tigress on Gaur Kill, Nagarahole

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On April 13 , 2009, I was expecting to photograph the seasonal elephant congregations on the Kabini backwaters, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, during the customary boat safari and was rewarded with this absolutely fascinating sight. The tigress approached the gaur kill and started to feed on it. The tourists in our boat kept absolute silence and the tigress continued its feed.… Read More

A Tiger’s Pain

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On the 28th of April 2012, I was in Valparai in the Anamalais, Tamil Nadu and was surprised to hear a report of a tiger near human habitation. Leopards are common in Valparai, and a tiger, that too close to houses, was extremely rare. The tiger was sitting in the far end of a garden near a house, and appeared exhausted and unable to move. A large crowd had already gathered, and the forest department and police did a commendable … Read More

Dr. George Schaller Says Future Of Tigers Dependent On India

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Dr. George Schaller, world renowned wildlife biologist and emeritus scientist of New York Wildlife Conservation Society, speaking at a programme organized by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) India at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) said that the future of tigers depends on India.

He pointed out that tigers were extinct or near-extinct in Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, China and other Asian countries. He called India, “the only ray of hope” and said that tigers will exist provided there is … Read More

Bull Gaur Crossing Road, Nagarahole

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This image was taken on Tithimathi – Konnankatte road in the heart of Nagarahole National Park in Karnataka. The state transport bus driver was considerate and stopped the bus upon seeing the herd of gaur. The gaur were quite shy and hurried across the road. The bull in the frame was the last one to cross the road.

Highways and roads through protected areas can have a serious impact on wildlife behavior, survival and movement. This is especially true for … Read More

Tiger Roadkill, NH 212, Bandipur 2003

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This tiger was killed by a speeding vehicle on the Gundlupet – Sulthan Bathery road (NH 212) in 2003.

Two major National Highways pass through Bandipur Tiger Reserve – NH-67 (Gundlupet – Ooty Road) and NH 212 (Gundlupet – Sultan Batthery Road) – and both experience heavy traffic. The traffic on NH-67 is largely tourists plying from Karnataka to the hill station of Ooty in Tamil Nadu. While on NH 212 there is heavy passenger and truck traffic plying to … Read More

Report: Tiger Link — August 2011

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The Ranthambhore Foundation publishes TigerLink, a news letter that serves as a valuable resource library and is a strong pressure lobby to counter misguided development policies of the government. It is distributed widely, especially among policy makers, decision makers, experts and NGO’s concern with tiger conservation across the globe. It also serves as an information base for media professionals and those seeking concise information on tiger conservation issues.… Read More

Nepal to Start Fingerprinting Tigers

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Nepal will start “fingerprinting” its big cats starting this fall. Under the two-year Nepal Tiger Genome Project, high tech DNA profiling will be done to create a tiger database and the census methodology will start moving away from camera trapping and assessing pugmarks. Teams will fan out to the four national parks in Parsa, Bardiya, Chitwan and Kailali districts where Nepal’s tigers are found, to collect feces. These will then be analysed in the Center for Molecular Dynamics Nepal (CMDN) … Read More