Anti-poaching measures by the forest department had been proved useful in protecting the biodiversity and stability of the animal population in the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary at Pollachi in Tamil Nadu. The increase in the number of gaurs and nilgiri langurs, the most targeted and preyed, were clear indication of the utility of such measures, official sources told the media in Coimbatore. The annual animal population estimation exercise (census) conducted by the officials in the middle of March this year have shown a rise in population of gaurs and Nilgiri langurs by 150 and 200-300 respectively, they said. Moreover, the census figures indicated that the animal population were healthy and remained stable to a great extent, besides the density of the predators, the sources said. Though there was no significant change in the density estimates during the recent census compared to 2000, the population and distribution of the endangered animals were fairly steady, they said, adding the age and sex ratio of various animals also indicated healthy populations. The detailed collection of the indirect evidences had provided information of the presence and distribution of the other rare, endangered and nocturnal animals. Information about animals like wild dog, leopard, tigers sloth bear, mouse deer, mongoose, civets, jungle cats were also obtained, they added. Non-occurrence of major jungle fire during last couple of years, despite acute water scarcity and hot summer, also contributed to preserve the species, the sources said. There were several sightings of great pied hornbill, lion tailed macaque, leopard, sloth bear and several other rare and endangered birds and butterflies in the sanctuary, covering an area of 958 sq. km, they said. The pugmark count of tigers indicated that there could be a minimum of 14 tigers in the sanctuary, whereas the population of nilgiri tahr has substantially increased to nearly 440 from the 240 reported during 2000 census. The habitat requirement of animals like elephant, gaur, sambar, chital, barking deer, nilgiri langur, common langur, bonnet macaque, lion tailed macaque and wild pig was quite varied, their estimation provided information about the overall health of the forests.
The population of elephant was estimated as 850-900 in 0.93 sq km density, gaur 3800-3900 in 4.01sq km, sambar 2500-2700 in 2.71 sq kms, chital 2200-2300 in 2.38 sq.Kms, common langur 4500-4600 in 4.74 sq kms and nilgiri langur 9800-10,000 in 10.33 sq kms, they said.
Likewise, barking deer population was estimated at 1150-1250 in 1.27 sq kms, malabar giant squirrel population was put at 2800-200 in 2.95 sq kms, bonnet macaque at 2500-2700 in 2.72 sq km and wild pig at 1250-1450 in 1.43 sq km, they said.
Bureau Report