CONTEXT

• Tigers depend heavily on ungulates (hoofed mammals)  as prey.
• A new national-level assessment (2022 Tiger Estimation) reveals alarming prey decline in some regions.
•  Conservation of tiger prey is critical for:
  • Sustaining tiger populations.
  • Maintaining ecological balance.
  • Preventing human-wildlife conflict.

CONCEPT

• Ungulates include: spotted deer (chital), sambar, wild pig, gaur, nilgai, barasingha, hog deer.
•  Ecological Role:
  • Regulate forest vegetation.
  • Maintain soil health.
  • Serve as prey for apex predators like tigers and leopards.
• Genetic Concerns: Isolated populations (e.g., barasingha, wild buffalo) face reduced genetic diversity.
• Threats:
  • Habitat fragmentation (mining, highways, urbanisation).
  • Left-wing extremism limiting protection efforts.
  • Subsistence hunting and livestock competition.
  • Conversion of wetlands/grasslands to farmlands or towns.

 CURRENT SCENARIO: KEY FINDINGS FROM THE REPORT

• Regions with Decline:
  • Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh – sharp decline in prey due to habitat degradation and hunting.
• Thriving Areas:
  • Western Ghats, Central India, Uttarakhand, Northeast – healthy prey base in tiger reserves.
•  Vulnerable Species:
  • Hog deer: Declining in Ganga-Brahmaputra plains.
  • Barasingha: Limited to Kanha, Dudhwa, Kaziranga; needs specific swampy habitats.
• Adaptable Species Doing Well: Wild pig, nilgai, gaur.

Implications and Way Forward

• Tiger expansion limited by low prey base in east-central states despite potential.
• Human-tiger conflict rising as tigers hunt livestock due to poor prey availability.
• Crop damage by ungulates (nilgai, wild pig) adds to conflict in UP, MP, Rajasthan.
• Infrastructure projects fragment habitats, threatening continuity of prey movement.
•  Recommendations:
  • Strengthen protection in non-core forest areas.
  • Restore habitats & wetlands.
  • Monitor prey base using tech (camera traps, field data).
  • Promote prey breeding in enclosures with regulated release.