Tiger Cub Caught on Camera
Written by Jemma Smith
Photo by Ullas Karanth / WCS
This image of a 4-5 month old tiger cub was recently captured on a remote camera in the India’s Bhadra Tiger Reserve.
The Bhadra reserve was identified by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) as one of 42 ‘source sites’ that are essential for the future of tigers. These sites are found within 9 different countries and are home to 70% of the remaining tiger population; although only make up 6% of their range.
Individual tigers can be identified by their unique striped pattern. WCS conservationist, led by Ullas Karanth, a tiger expert, conduct annual surveys in this area photographing and identifying tigers.
Data collected by WCS shows that within the Bhadra reserve the tiger population has increased and prey populations doubled due to their conservation effort. This success confirms the value of these ‘source sites’ and stands out as a model of tiger conservation success.
The tiger’s greatest threats include poaching, illegal killing, loss of prey and habitat loss. Due to urban expansion, populations of tigers become isolated in small fragmented areas and eventually die out. A decrease in food source leads to conflicts with farmers. Reserves, such as Bhadra, which protects them from many of these threats, are important in the future survival of this iconic animal.
