Monitoring of tiger and associated species - Kosi river corridor, Uttarakhand, India
The Kosi River corridor is situated in the Nainital and Almora districts of Uttarakhand and connects the Corbett Tiger Reserve with the forests of Ramnagar Forest Division. This corridor serves as a vital link between the source population of tigers in Corbett and the adjoining forest areas and enables them to move across. However, this connectivity is threatened by the rapid development of resorts and infrastructure along the Ramnagar-Ranikhet highway (NH 121) adjoining the banks of the Kosi River. Such development, if left unchecked, can threaten the long term survival of tigers in the region by isolating source populations. The Terai Arc Landscape (TAL), of which the Kosi River corridor is a part of, has been identified as one of the global priority tiger conservation landscapes and is key to the survival of India’s wild tiger population. The study detailed in this report fills an important gap by systematically sampling tigers and associated species in the Kosi River corridor. The results should help government authorities and conservationists to devise and implement appropriate measures to ensure the long term survival of the wildlife in this region.