Tiger Returns to Gujarat!

Tiger captured by camera trap installed by Gujarat Forest Department

When most people think of big cats in India's Gujarat state, the first thing that comes to their mind is the Asiatic lion. It is true that Gujarat was and still is the last refuge of the lion after it disappeared from central and western India. In Gujarat, the lion shares its home range with its smaller cousin the leopard whose range extends to nearly every corner of the state. But what most people don't know is that Gujarat was once home to one of India's most iconic animals: the tiger. In decades past, tigers once ranged throughout Gujarat's northern, central, and southern regions that border the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra where their numbers are currently abundant. However, years of human encroachment in the form of habitat destruction and poaching pushed the tiger to the brink of extinction. The last tiger sighting in Gujarat was believed to have been in 1989. Since then, no tiger had been sighted in the state; let alone questionable reports of the animal's presence in central Gujarat's Mahisagar district. But now, after nearly 30 years, the Gujarat Forest Department has officially confirmed that the tiger has returned to the state. This was seen from camera trap footage showing a tiger prowling in a jungle area in Mahisagar district. The confirmation of tiger's presence in Gujarat came when a schoolteacher claimed he saw the animal in the area few days ago. Following his claims, forest department officials installed several camera traps in the area and attempted to track down the tiger. Eventually, the big cat was captured by one of the camera traps at night thus confirming its presence. According to Gujarat Forest Minister Ganpat Vasava, the tiger appeared to be around eight years of age and may have come from one of the neighboring states.

Another camera trap footage of the tiger 

I can never think of anything more exciting and astonishing than this news. The tiger, which was never seen in Gujarat for almost thirty years, has recently been sighted in the state. This is truly tremendous news for wildlife experts and conservationists because here you have an animal that once roamed the forests of northern, central, and southern Gujarat decades ago before disappearing due to the pressure of human encroachment. But now, thanks to serious conservation efforts in India over the years, the tiger has made a successful comeback to its former home range in Gujarat. Earlier, the lion made a comeback due to conservation efforts dating back to the early 20th century and is now numbering around 650 animals that are continuously moving outside Gir Forest and into areas where they once disappeared. The leopard, on the other hand, was and still is found in almost every part of Gujarat because of its adaptability and protection by the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. With the recent return of the tiger, I think it is safe to say that Gujarat has become a home to all three of India's big cats. I firmly believe that the confirmation about the tiger's presence in Gujarat should be seen as a sign to bolster conservation efforts to protect the forest habitats where there is substantial evidence of the big cat's presence. This includes identifying specific areas occupied by the tiger and declaring them as protected areas. Furthermore, there should be emphasis on tracking the tiger's movement and setting up camera traps in areas bordering the Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra to check for any wild animals crossing into Gujarat. The tiger, like the lion, is the top predator in Gujarat and its presence in the state would help significantly in maintaining ecological balance in the forests where it once roamed.

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