State records 60% growth in tiger population in 4 yrs
Minister for environment and forests Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy taking part in the International Tiger Day celebrations at SV Zoo Park in Tirupati on Friday
Tirupati: Minister for Environment and Forests Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy underlined that the national animal tiger is known for its power and grace which plays an important role in the ecosystem by being at the apex of the food pyramid.
It is a top predator which is at the apex of the food chain and keeps the population of wild ungulates in check, thereby maintaining the balance between prey herbivores and the vegetation upon which they feed.
Speaking at the International Tiger Day celebrations at SV Zoological park in Tirupati on Friday, the Minister said that the presence of tigers in the forest is an indicator of the wellbeing of the ecosystem. He recalled that the International Tiger Day was initiated in 2010 at Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia to raise awareness about the decline of wild tiger numbers which are on the verge of extinction.
Also, a declaration was made in that summit by the tiger range countries to double tiger population by 2022. Accordingly, the day is observed on July 29 every year to promote the protection of the natural habitat of tigers and to raise the awareness about their conservation.
The Minister said that the forest department conducted tiger census keeping cameras at 1,031 locations and currently the minimum number of tigers in AP as per the latest census is 75. Out of them 64 are in Nagarjuna Sagar - Srisailam tiger reserve, nine are in corridor areas through Seshachalam hills via Kadapa, Tirupati and two are at Papikonda national park. He claimed that this is phenomenal as 60 per cent growth was recorded in the last four years.
On this occasion, the Minister planted saplings at the zoo park and visited the photo exhibition. He distributed cash awards, certificates and mementoes to the winners of various competitions. Principal Chief Conservator of forests Y Madhusudhan Reddy, Chief Conservators of forests Srinivasa Reddy and Nageswara Rao, MGNREGA state council member M Viswanath, Zoo park curator M Hima Sailaja and other officials participated.