Research Journal of Recent Sciences ______ ______________________________ ______ ____ ___ ISSN 2277 - 2502 Vol. 4 ( I YS C - 201 5 ), 1 - 4 (201 5 ) Res. J. Recent . Sci. International Science Congress Association 1 Causes and Consequences of Tiger Mortality in Corbett Tiger Reserve, Ramnagar, Uttrakhand India Sanjeev Kumar Dept. of Zoology, Govt. P.G. College, Ramnagar, Nainital Uttrakhand, INDIA Available online at: www.isca.in , www.isca.me Received 10 th May 201 5 , revised 20 th August 20 1 5 , accepted 8 th September 20 1 5 Abstract Panthera tigris in any forest is a good sign of healthy habitat. But its mortality indicates the destruction of habitat and red alert for conflict and ecological stress. Due to many causes like, carrying capacity of area, socio - ecological factor, anthropogenic stress, negative attitude of people towards tiger conservation. Livestock grazing in reserve area lead conflict and death. Depletion of food leads struggle between same species as tiger show territorial behaviour. So inter and intra specific struggle is very common in same are for survival. Especially in mating season (Nov - Feb) the fighting cases were observed directly and indirectly (postmortem report). Corbett is a land of roar, sometime tiger shown unnatural feeding behaviour i.e. preys upon elephants. And this type of conditional behaviour is very typical and depicts the intelligence of tiger in human - dominated land scapes. Total 26 cases were studied. Keywords: Habitat - destruction, territorial behaviour, livestock grazing, inter specific struggle. Introduction The survival of tiger ( Panthera tigris) is very less in the environment. The mortality rate is very high in tiger. A lot of behavioural cum ecological reason behind it. Movement pattern toward railway track or in human - dominated areas is also cause of death and conflict for both the tiger and man. In this study only 8 deaths is natural others out of 26 depic ts the ecological struggle for survival. Figure - 1 shows the train hit near the army cant, H empur K ashipur the adjoining area of Corbett Jhirna zone with Tarai west forest division. Presence of tiger evidence like scats, kill, and conflict case also depicts the movement pattern due to socio - ecological factor, were included for this study. Adjoining forest and vanishing corridors is also hurdle in genetic viability 1 from one area to another and this disturbance also leads the mortality rate of tiger in Corbet t landscape. Anti ecological activity like cutting of forest and excavation of land, stone for lucrative purpose leads the destruction of forest which causes the mortality in tiger. In mating season the territorial fight is very common. For vital purpose t he struggle 2 for existence is must i.e. it may be inter specific or intra specific but in some cases I had found during postmortem of dead body. Some evidence indicates the ill legal activity like poaching and poisonings etc. Figure - 1 Train hit case ne ar army cant Hempur, Kashipur adjoining area of Tarai west forest division with Corbett Research Journal of Recent Sciences ______ _ _ _______________________________ ______________ _ ________ ISSN 2277 - 2502 Vol. 4 ( I YS C - 201 5 ), 1 - 4 (201 5 ) Res. J. Recent. Sci. International Science Congress Association 2 Methodology Direct observation (during postmortem) and data collection from Corbett Research Range. Officially data had been collected. In this data detail the sex, da te and cause of death along with place and area are mentioned. Study area : study area is in and around Corbett tiger reserve of Ramnagar is chosen. The block and range wise detail of place along with cause of mortality is given in table 1 from 2007 to 2013 . At least seven year data analysis had presented with cause of death. Table 1 Year wise detail of Tiger Mortality cases along with cause and Place S. N o Species and Sex Date Cause of Death Place / Area 2007 - 08 1 Tiger Cub (F) 15 - 6 - 2007 Totally Putrefie d Dhela Range Dhella Hill Block CNo.2 and 8 2 Tiger (M) 22 - 9 - 2007 Natural Kalagarh Range Dhara Block C.No.13 3 Tiger( F) 31 - 10 - 2007 Fighting Kalagarh Range Paterpani BlockC.No - 18 4 Tiger (M) 31/1 - 11 - 2007 Fighting Sonanadi Range Lal darwaja C.No. - 15 5 Tig er (F) 10 - 3 - 2008 Fighting Jhirna Range Jaminagawar Block C.No. - 10 2008 - 2009 1 Tiger(F) 4 - 11 - 2008 Natural Kalagarh Range Mohanpani Chouar 2 Tiger(M) 9 - 3 - 2009 Natural Dhela Range Pathurwa (W) BlockC.No.4 3 Tiger(M) 17 - 3 - 2009 Fighting Dhela Range Sawlde B havar Plot - 5 2009 - 2010 1 Tiger(M) 27 - 5 - 2009 Decomposed Maidavan Range (E) Mandal C.No - 10 2 Tiger(M) 1 - 8 - 2009 Fighting Mandal Range (E) Dumunda C.No - 1 3 Tiger(M) 13 - 12 - 2009 Fighting Dhikala Range Dhikala Block C.No. - 4 4 Tiger(F) 16 - 12 - 2009 Old Age, Nat ural Sarpduli Range Tairiya C.No - 1Near Ramganga River 5 Tiger(M) 5 - 1 - 2010 Natural Dhikala RangeKanda BlockC.No.23 6 Tiger(M) 11 - 1 - 2010 Natural Dhikala Range Kanda Block C.No. - 1A 2010 - 2011 1 Tiger Cub (M) 2 - 7 - 2010 Found Injured, death under treatment Ka lagarh Range 2 Tiger(F) 25 - 1 - 2011 Fighting Kalagarh Range Dhara Block C.No - 1 Maiggeen sot 3 Tiger (M) 19 - 2 - 2011 Fighting Kalagarh Range Dhara Block Khatpani 2011 - 2012 1 Tiger(F) 1 - 4 - 2011 Natural Kalagarh Range Dhara Block C.No - 12 and 13 2 Unknown 3 - 5 - 2011 Fighting Sarpduli Range Dhikala Block C.No - 24 Kothidhunga Sot 3 Tiger (F) 7 - 6 - 2011 Brain damage/ Fracture of cervical vertebrae Kalagarh Range Dhara Block C.No. - 7 4 Tiger Cub (F) 28 - 7 - 2011 Accident Dhela Range Sawalde Bhavar Block N - 1 5 Tiger(M) 15 - 9 - 2011 Fighting Bijrani range Himmatpur DotiyalNainital Zoo 6 Tiger Cub (F) 15 - 20 days 14 - 12 - 2011 Natural Dhela Range Bhavar Block C.No.5 and 6 Joint 7 Tiger Cub(M) 13 - 1 - 2012 Serious dehydration Jhirna Range Jhirna Block C.No. - 8 8 Tiger (M) 20 - 2 - 2012 Fighting Sonanadi Range Dholkhand C.No. - 11 2012 - 2013 1 Tiger unknown 8 - 4 - 2012 Natural Bijrani Range Phutal Block C.No - 10 Source; CTR Official Research Range Research Journal of Recent Sciences ______ _ _ _______________________________ ______________ _ ________ ISSN 2277 - 2502 Vol. 4 ( I YS C - 201 5 ), 1 - 4 (201 5 ) Res. J. Recent. Sci. International Science Congress Association 3 Result s and Discussion Total 26 tiger death cases were analyzed with the help of data collecte d from CTR office and direct observation during postmortem 2011 - 12 was critical to tiger that 8 tiger were lost while earlier in 2009 - 10 there were 6 tiger mortality. Overall in 7 years total 26 tiger including male, female, cubs and unknown were lost. The table 1 shows that most cases were related to fighting which indicated that ecological pressure 3 on Corbett. Following chart showing that description of 7 years data analysis of tiger mortality (sex wise). Discussion: This study depicts the detail of tig er mortality in Corbett in seven years (2007 - 2013). Data shows that 2009 - 10 five tiger were lost in Corbett. There are 11 cases belongs to fighting. This analysis indicates that ecological pressure 4 on habitat, Inter specific and intra specific struggle 5 i s very common in this regards. When carrying capacity is decrease than conflict and struggle will rise for vital need. Tiger marks their area in forest 6 . Due to vital need they can be entering in other tiger territory and chances of conflict, fight etc wil l take place. In these cases we have to work on carrying capacity of tiger habitat by all means. Which depicts the actual requirements of tiger to survive in wild with wild for wild? Table - 2 Year wise loss of tiger with sex detail YEAR Tiger Total U M F C(m) C(f) 2007 - 08 - 2 2 - 1 5 2008 - 09 - 2 1 - - 3 2009 - 10 - 5 1 - - 6 2010 - 11 - 1 1 1 - 3 2011 - 12 1 2 2 1 2 8 2012 - 13 1 - - - - 1 Grand Total 2 12 7 2 3 26 7 Yrs 2 12 7 2 3 26 loss U - Unknown, M - Male, F - Female, C(m) - cub male, C(f) - Cub female. Fig ure - 2 Tiger mortality year wise along with sex detail Research Journal of Recent Sciences ______ _ _ _______________________________ ______________ _ ________ ISSN 2277 - 2502 Vol. 4 ( I YS C - 201 5 ), 1 - 4 (201 5 ) Res. J. Recent. Sci. International Science Congress Association 4 Conclusion This analysis provides the actual ecological aspects of tiger mortality in area and depicts the future prospective of tiger conservation. The loss of female ti ger is not only the loss of a tigress but this is a loss of family because the tigress is also producer of generation also. India accounts about 8 percent wildlife in the world. Unabated poaching, land encroachment, grazing, loss of habitat and diseases 7 a re some of the much highlighted factors causing threatened to the wildlife in all over the world. Ecological monitoring is very important in tiger reserves by which we can alert for any anti conservation practices in any protected forest or reserve. Ackno wledgement All the forest officials from bottom to top always help me for my journey of tiger conservation in Corbett landscape. References 1. Akckaya H. R., Population viability analysis in conservation P lanning: A n overview , Ecological Bulletins 48 , 9 - 21 (2000) 2. Ashra f N.V.K., Procedures for monitoring wildlife health and investigating disease , Wildlife Institute of India (1992) 3. Bennett A.F., Linkages in the Landscape. The role of Corridors and connectivit y in wildlife conservation IUCN, The world Conse rvation Union (2003) 4. Allee W.C. and Schmidt, Karl P., Ecological Animal geography , John Wiley and Sons, New York (1951) 5. Akcakaya H.R. , Burgman M.A. and Kindvall O. et.al., Species Conservation and Management , Oxford University Press, Oxford (2004) 6. Batten J ., when good animals love bad habitats: ecological traps and the con servation of animal populations, Conservation Biology , 18, 1482 - 91 (2004) 7. Ajit Kumar Santra , Handbook on Wild and Zoo animal , A Treatise for Students of Veterinary, Zoology, Forestry and Environment Science (2008)